Life without Fire, Life without Stars
by TheSeasChild
Summary: Just a series of Nalu fluffy/angyst one-shots. Starts from when they get together, and will most likely end whenever I run outta ideas. Rated T for swearing, and Cana's explicit questions. If you have any ideas for more chapters, don't be afraid to suggest any :D (Natsu x Lucy for people who don't know what Nalu is)
1. She Never Did

****She Never Did****

****3 weeks ago:****

"Hey, Macao, where's Natsu?"

Macao's eyebrows knitted together as he registered who's voice asked him the question. "What are you doing here, Lucy? Shouldn't you be off with Natsu on his job?."

"He went on a job_?" Surprised, Lucy's eyebrows shot up her face."_When did he leave?"

"You don't _know_?" He raised an eyebrow sceptically, cocking his head to one side as he leant towards Lucy. "He wouldn't've left without you... I mean, he was gone like a shot when the request came in, so I just assumed that he left to get you..."

She felt her face drop, hurt at being left behind by her immature best friend, who would usually be begging for her to tag along with him. "So he's gone? What was the job exactly, and who sent it?"

"A dragon was spotted near where Wendy's old guild was - Cait Shelter? - and the Magic Council wanted it destroyed before anyone got wind of it. Natsu was out the doors before anyone realised."

She groaned, her initial hurt long forgotten, but instead replaced with worry for the pink haired boy, and threw her head into her hands. "Why won't he _l___earn__? I'll bet you anything he thinks it might be Igneel, so why would he leave if it needed to be killed?

Macao shrugged his shoulders, indifferent. "There's a small chance it might be his father, so what else would you expect? He's probably gone so that no-one can get there before he him and kill him just in case."

She sighed, slowly pulling her face free of her hands. "I know, I know, but I'm worried about him."

Macao looked at Lucy, something almost like sympathy hiding in his eyes, though she dismissed it as worry. "We all are."

****2 weeks, 1 day ago:****

Lucy sat on a bar stool, listening intently to Mirajane retelling stories of all the Guild members when they were children - especially ones centring Natsu, Grey and Erza, since they were members of Team Natsu - and laughed when she deemed it appropriate, cringing also when the moment was right.

"Mira," She said, cutting the white haired She-Demon off from an extremely embarrassing tale of a young Natsu having his first fire whiskey, set up by Gildarts on one of his rare visits. "When do you think he'll be back?"

Mira shrugged as she twirled the towel inside of the damp glass, drying it and placing it down on the bar, already knowing who the blonde was asking about. "You never know with Natsu. It could be a day, it could be a month."

"He's been gone for a week now, and we haven't heard a peep from him!" Lucy groaned, wringing her hands in her lap nervously.

Mira took a step back and placed the dried mug underneath the bar where the other glasses were stored, not even her being able to make a joke like the hopeless romantic she was in the situation given. "It'll be fine, Lucy. How do you think we all felt when you and him took that S-Class quest? We didn't get anything from you, and then when Gray didn't return..."

Lucy flushed, her anger gone, replaced with embarrassment. "I'm sorry Mira. I just-"

The white haired shape-shifter smiled, finally finding an opportunity. "You two are just like a couple; he leaves for a few days and you go out of your mind with worry!"

The blonde felt the blood rush to the surface of her neck s well as her face, her eyes widening in horror. "_What?_ No! It's not like that! It's just that, I'm not used to not going on a mission with him and keeping him in check. I mean, he saves my life regularly, but I'm the one who stops him from getting hurt by acting irresponsibly, and I just _know _he's gonna act without thinking."

Mirajane shrugged, her inner romantic screaming '_denial__'_. "If you say so." Then she sauntered off to serve yet another tankard of alcohol to Cana who waved her over casually.

Lucy fell forward and threw her head in her hands, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She __really__didn't feel that way for the salmon haired boy, no matter how much the rest of the Guild insisted she did, but he was her best friend, so of course she'd be worried - it was natural and to be expected, right? No-one ever questioned Erza's panic when he went missing, but as soon as Lucy worried - everyone assumed the worst, or in their eyes, the best.

The Stellar Mage jumped out of her seat when the Guild's huge wooden doors suddenly slammed open, Gray falling through them, his hand clutched to his heaving chest, like he had been running for a while without stopping.

"Grey, your clothes!" She called, trying to keep the normalcy as her mind began to think up endless possibilities to his actions.

"Shut it, Lucy!" He panted, and when he looked up, Lucy could see his dark eyes swimming in barely dammed tears. "It's Natsu. I just read about it in the Sorcerer Weekly and-"

Lucy stormed over to where he was standing, his body shaking violently, and gripping her hips with her hands. "And what?"

Finally Gray looked up, unable to keep his tears at bay. "And what do you think? He went after a God damn dragon, and he's dead!"

She took a step backwards, feeling the Guild member's eyes rest on her with worry – and she hated to admit it, pity - as Gray recited the story. "The no-one actually knew if the dragon was Igneel, but when the Council decided to check up on Natsu, he wasn't there, and nor was the dragon, but they did find a load of charred bones scattered around a nearby clearing, so they found them to be Flame Brain's!"

"But it can't be-" The Celestial Wizard stuttered, unbelieving. "This is Natsu we're talking about! He's a Dragon Slayer – he was trained by a dragon to kill dragons, so how could he lose! I mean he- he just-"

"Well he lost and he died, okay?" Gray spat, turning on his heel and fleeing the hall, Juvia soon on his tracks in an attempt to comfort him.

She counted to ten in her head, then left, ignoring the concerned stares of her fellow Guild members.

****Day 1:****

__Dear mom,__

__He's dead. Like you. He was killed by a dragon. We got nothing left to bury of him though, because when they found him, he was just a pile of bones.__

__But then again, that where we all end up someday, right?__

__~ Lucy__

_**Day 2:**_

__Dear mom,__

__I miss him. And missing him makes me miss you again/__

__Why couldn't he have just left the job alone – or at least brought me with him? Maybe I could've saved him, like he always seems, no seemed, to save me.__

__He said he'd always be there for us.__

__I didn't go to the Guild yesterday, and I don't plan on going back for a while. I can't take their stares. I don't like being pitied.__

__~ Lucy__

__P.S. Please don't be worrying about me, I'm fine, just a little shaken.__

_**Day 3:**_

Lucy didn't go to the Guild again that day, instead she stayed in her home, eating, sleeping, bathing and writing letters to her mother and father, and every so often, she'd find she had written a bunch of words for Natsu.

****Day 4:****

__Dear mom,__

__Please don't be worrying about me, okay, I know what you're like.__

__I'm eating fine, and sleeping regularly. I'm sad, but not grieving. Natsu wouldn't want me to break down. I've got to put everyone else first.__

__~ Lucy__

__P.S. I love you, and I miss you.__

_**Day 5:**_

"Lucy, open up!"

A furious, raven haired Ice Mage banged at Lucy's door, demanding entry to her once quiet home. The Key user hadn't been to the Guild for five days now. She told herself it was because she wouldn't be able to stand their pitiful sideways glances, or their hushed remarks. She knew that the place would be silent and depressing, and she didn't want in. She didn't want _him_ in either, since strangely enough, he reminded her of Natsu, bottling up his feelings.

"Go away!" She screamed, throwing down her pen.

"He was my friend too, y'know, and you don't see me moping around!" He snapped, his voice breaking.

"You never acted like it! And maybe you should be!"

"You're infuriating, blondie!"

"Oh, and by the way, get your facts straight. I'm not moping!"

He left with an annoyed groan that Lucy could hear from her apartment shortly after.

****Days 6 - 10:****

Each day a new Guild member would knock on Lucy's door - some quietly, respectfully, others as if they were trying to destroy the place brick by brick. Erza pounded, but Lucy could hear her heartbroken calls, Happy knocked timidly, his voice shaking as he called out for her.

Lucy nearly opened up for him - he sounded shattered, broken beyond repair.

Gajeel came with threats, a few dents to the walls and cracks and splinters in the wooded door, Elfman told Lucy with kind words that Natsu wouldn't want her to cry - he'd want her to carry on.

But Lucy wasn't crying.

She never did.

****Day 11:****

This time, it was Wendy who came knocking, and this time, Lucy let her in. She got her a plate of cookies and two glass of milk, one for the young girl and one for herself. They chatted and laughed with together over nothing and everything. The young Dragon Slayer had healed what Lucy didn't know was broken, without even a hint of magic involved.

It was then that she cried. Only a single tear at first, but as soon as Wendy wrapped her arms around her in an attempt to console her, they began to start flowing freely down her face and into the blue hair beneath her.

In the end, Wendy had to use her magic to make her sleep.

****Day 12:****

Lucy didn't get any visitors pounding at her door today, and she was glad. She watched the hours tick by, sleeping, an reading, blissful of her time away from the Guild that she never seemed to visit.

****Day 13:****

"Lucy, __please___._"

Today, Lucy was greeted by the sound of Levy's desperate tone, calling out to just let her in, or she would find a way, even if it meant using Gajeel. She had no fear of lies. The petite bluenette had wormed her way into her heart, so what was to stop her from worming – or demolishing - her way into her home?

But if she was honest, she didn't really want that.

"Go away Levy. I know you mean well, but leave me be. I'm fine, honestly." She would call brightly, a true smile donning her lips.

She heard the sigh ring through her door. "Fine, but hear me out. The Guild has lost it's two most brightest members - one to death, and one to grievance."

Lucy tried to interrupt, protesting she was not grieving.

"I said hear me out, Lucy. The Guild is dark without its flames and without its star. No-one has been talking like usual and we're all worried about you. Even Gajeel. Cana's even stopped drinking."

Lucy scoffed.

"I'm serious! All these people who have been coming to you every day have been worried about you. No-one forced them to come. They all love you, and they want you to be happy. So please, just come back. You're my best friend, and I need you."

The she heard a combination of sniffles, sobs and hiccups come from Levy.

The Mage felt like crying at her friend's well meant words. "Levy, I'm not grieving. I just want to be alone. I'll be back soon."

Levy sighed again shakily through her sobs. "If you say so."

Strangely enough, it was like the blonde heard every step her blue haired friend took away from her home.

****Day 14:****

"Lucy, let us in?"

Mirajane's worried voice echoed into Lucy's home, filling her head. She dried herself from her bath and stood at her window, her pink, button up pyjama top slung over her shoulders.

"Lucy, we just want to help you. We've all been suffering but this has gone on for too long, and you've taken it too far!"

This time, it was the Master's voice who cut through the still air, his tone clicking something inside the blonde.

"Who said I'm suffering?" She shouted as she opened her window, her anger and resentment finally coming to the surface after the two weeks of almost complete solitude. "I just wanted for you all to leave me alone!"

"And that's why we're here! We just wanted to help you, but all you've done is push us away. You've turned against us - your own _family_. You even turned down Happy - do you know how much he's been hurting without you? He needs you, but you've just ignored him all this time Lucy. It's just plain selfish!"

Lucy clenched her eyes shut. "Fine, if that's what you call it."

Mira spoke again, her voice shaking. "Please, just come back to us. We miss our Lucy."

"I know that you all pity me, giving me those sad looks. I can't stand that. I'll do one more job to cover this month's rent, then I'm out of here, because I know this won't ever end."

Lucy heard the She Demon's sob. "Please, no. That's not what we meant!"

"_LUCY!" _Makarov bellowed, his voice cutting through the Mage like a knife tearing her insides.

"Well, It's what _I _meant." She snapped, and slammed her window down, shutting herself off from the pair outside.

****Day 15:****

Today was going to be her last job as a member of the Fairy Tail Guild, and as much as it hurt her to leave, it hurt her more to stay. She was right, eyes followed her as she moved, and hushed whispers spoke of her solitary fortnight. Rumours were spread, lies were told, and every step she took felt documented and analysed.

Happy hovered over her shoulder the whole time, each attempt of making conversation ignored and disbanded. This time, Lucy knew how much she was hurting the blue Exceed, but she didn't care. She wouldn't be there for much longer so why did it matter what he felt for her? They had never gotten along properly anyway...

Lucy scanned the jobs board, looking for one that gave her enough for this month's rent and a for travel and food expenses for when she left. Anything between the ranges of 150,000 jewel to 200,000 should be more than enough - and there was plenty of them, just none low enough to suit Lucy's skill level. As she browsed, she noticed the chatter start up in the Guild again, and relaxed subconsciously - finally they weren't paying full attention to her any more. She stood there for God knows how long until she felt Happy perch on her shoulder like a parrot from the pirate stories she would read as a child.

"Please don't leave me, Lucy." He chirped, his eyes drooping as he tried to rest his blue head on her blonde hair.

As she shoved him away, a silence cloaked the hall and hung in the air like fog. She sensed the Guild zone in on her once more and she tensed, hating the attention, and stared at the board with more intensity than before. Finally, she snapped, and whipped around, only to be caught off guard by the sight of a body standing so close to her, she couldn't see the owner's face.

And she didn't need to – she'd seen that person more than enough to recognise them by just a section of their body.

"N-Natsu?" She stuttered, her anger melting as she raised her head to look at the pink haired Dragon Slayer.

Finally, her eyes met his, and he smiled his familiar smile, and she broke, falling forwards, wrapping her arms around his bare torso tightly, sobbing into him and trapping his arms to his sides. As the tears came to a halt, she stepped backwards and shot a forced glare in his direction, her anger present but not yet overpowering.

"I s_wear, _Natsu Dragneel, if you __ever __go on a job without telling me again, I will personally hunt you down and strangle you with my bare hands, if you're not already dead that is, and that's a promise." She growled, poking a finger angrily into his abdomen.

Suddenly, she grabbed the front of his open shirt and pulled him forward, getting up onto her tiptoes and pressing her lips to his angrily. At her touch, he stiffened awkwardly, and she reeled backwards, blushing crimson like a fool as the Guild around them erupted into cheerful laughter and whooping cheers. Natsu then overcame his initial shock and pulled her in for another kiss as he laughed with them, more happy than teasing.

* * *

><p>It was Mirajane who got the most money out of the Guild member's bet. Whilst everyone else thought it would be Natsu to crack first, it was quite the opposite – giddy, cheerful, yet sensible Lucy, who had never had a boyfriend, made the first move.<p>

And all matchmaking She-Demon could do was smile as she watched the two teenagers sit close together opposite to their team, both blushing like fools and looking anywhere but at each other as the childish teasing bore on. When the time came that Lucy wanted to head home, Natsu joined her to the door, their fingers intertwined. Mira heard their first argument from all the way at the bar.

"I don't care, Natsu! You are __not __coming over tonight!" She bellowed, her face still beetroot.

"I'd just come in through the window like I do anyway."

"You think I don't know that?"

With a flash of his signature smile, the Dragon Slayer dragged his new – or first, if you didn't class he and Lisanna's 'family' – girlfriend from the Guild to her home, where she knew that Natsu would end up kicked out on the floor, whilst Lucy slept.

Either that, or she'd just grit her teeth and bare it.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys, since a lot of you have been asking, here's my idea on how Natsu survived - or more that he didn't actually die.<strong>

**(Plus, I have no clue)**

**My idea on how Natsu survived was that he got seriously delayed on his journey to find Igneel, so by the time he reached the sighting spot, Igneel had already moved on, and the Council had stopped monitoring the situation, deeming it useless, so when he didn't turn up, they assumed he had died on the way there, and decided to say the cause of death was the dragon instead of it being unknown.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!**


	2. Never Touch Lucy's Stuff

**_Never, Ever Touch Lucy's Stuff_**

"_NATSU!"_

The Guild silenced as Lucy stormed through the doors, her hair loose and flying behind her like an angry blonde whirlwind. In her fist was a crumpled piece of paper, which she held in the air.

"I'm gonna kill you Pyro!" She screamed, thundering over to the pink haired boy and shoving the paper in his face. "First of all you eat all my food, then you steal my story - the one which I promised _Levy _she'd be the first to read - and all you do is leave a note to tell me that you took it!"  
>Natsu froze as she continued to rave on about her manuscript, then just as her mouth formed the 'oo' sound in you, he lurched forward and planted a kiss on her lips, effectively cutting her speech short. The blonde stood there with her arms crossed firmly over her chest as they kissed, her brows creased in annoyance at her new boyfriend's audacity.<p>

"You done yet?" She hissed as he pulled away and flashed her his heart melting grin.

The Guild members just laughed as Natsu's face fell at her words.

Although they had been officially 'together' for about a week, since Natsu returned from his job - in which he was supposed to have _died - _nothing had changed between them, except from the occasional peck from the Dragon Slayer, which was usually followed by a blush from the Celestial Wizard. But this time was different - Lucy was actually _pissed._

"First we need to get some things straight," She hissed again, moving her face towards the fire boy. "One: you are now to _never _enter my home without me in there. Two: you are never to eat my food, unless you are willing to pay me for it. And three: _Never _touch my stuff."

Once again, Natsu was a rigid as a pole as his girlfriend came closer to him, her face contorted in anger. There were few things that he was scared of in the world - and one of them was an angry Lucy. She locked her brown eyes with him and glared, until she finally broke and turned away storming out of the Guild once more, with only a catty remark over her shoulder.

"If I don't have those papers in my hand by the end of they day, you're totally screwed, Natsu."

* * *

><p>Once Lucy was gone, the Guild erupted into laughter as Natsu slumped against the bar, resting his salmon head on the wood and closing his eyes. When he opened his eyes, Mira stood over him, her hands clenched at her hips angrily.<p>

"So where is it, Natsu?" She demanded, her blue eyes furious.

"I don't know." Was all the Fire mage said as he puffed out the breath he didn't know he had been holding.

"Don't lie! I can't believe you would steal her story - you _know _how much it means to her." She scolded, her eyes burning.

Natsu pushed himself up and swiveled himself around so that her could look the She Demon in the eyes. "I didn't do it." He said seriously.

"Natsu-"

"_I DIDN'T DO IT, OKAY__?_" He screamed, bringing his fist down against the wooden bar angrily.

The Dragon Slayer pushed himself up from his stool and marched himself away from the white-haired mage as she stared at him, silenced by his outburst. His hands burned, and without even looking down, he knew they were flaming by the looks he received from his fellow Guild members. As he sat himself down at another table, as far away from everyone else as he could, he heard tiny footsteps, and knew Wendy was approaching him. She slid herself down next to him as he extinguished his flames.

"If you've come to give me a lecture about how disappointed you are of me, you can get lost, 'cos I'm not in the mood." He grumbled into the tabletop, wrapping his arms around his head.

He heard Wendy sigh as she put her hand on his shoulder. "I know it wasn't you," She said sweetly, causing Natsu to perk his head up at her words. "You wouldn't take her story - you'd just sit in her house and read it whilst she was out."

She chuckled slightly, earning herself a glare from the pink haired boy. "But that's another thing she's angry about."

"I know. But I'll help you find you took her story, if it'll make you feel better?" The sky dragon smiled.

Natsu grinned his trademark grin. "Really?"

With Wendy's nod, he ran out of the Guild, followed up quickly by the young bluenette.

* * *

><p><strong>*Later that evening*<strong>

"Dammit Wendy," Natsu growled as they trudged along the streets of Magnolia after a long day of searching and questioning for Lucy's manuscript. "I'm cooked!"

Despite the situation, Wendy laughed, although weakly. "You? _Cooked?"_

Natsu smiled at the young girl, "Okay, maybe not the best choice of words, but still, you get my point."

Together, they made their way to Natsu's home, where they met Carla at the door.

"And where have you been, young lady?" She scowled at the bluenette.

"Helping Natsu find Lucy's story so that he doesn't get cooked." She retorted, quoting the fire dragon from earlier that day.

Carla's glare softened, and turned into a look of questioning. "Story, you say?"

She turned on her heel and walked into the house, beckoning for the pair to follow after her, which they did without complaint. When Natsu closed the door behind them, they faced a guilty looking Happy. The white cat grabbed a thick pile of papers from the table and held them up as she pointed to the flying blue thing.

"I found this Tomcat here reading this this morning after you left for Fairy Tail," She said, her eyebrows raised. "I didn't think nothing of it, because I had always hoped that he'd _try _and educate himself with _something, _so I didn't question the matter_._"

She made her way over to the dragon slayers and thrust the papers into the fire dragon's awaiting hands. "So I take it that these belong to you - or more rather, Lucy."

Wendy was the first to speak, "So you mean that _Happy _broke into Lucy's house and-"

"I'm gonna cook you, cat! I'm in the doghouse because of you!" Natsu roared, chasing after that blue cat as he flew upwards out of his reach.

Carla rolled her eyes, and Wendy spoke once more. "So now it's Happy who's being cooked? Make up your mind! Anyway, shouldn't you get this back to Lucy before-"

"_Shit!_" Natsu yelled, and bolted through the door before Wendy could finish her sentence.

* * *

><p>"Use the Goddamn door!" Lucy yelled as Natsu banged on her window after scaling her apartment wall.<p>

With a grunt, Natsu dropped down and sulked to the front door and knocked loudly, waiting for Lucy to open up. When she did, she did so without even a glance at her pink haired boyfriend and marched upstairs to her home, where Natsu followed awkwardly.

_He couldn't remember actually ever using those stairs..._

Finally, the silence grew too long, and she cut into it. "So, where is it?"

Natsu bunched his eyebrows in confusion. "What?"

"Do I need to spell it out for you, dummy?" She glared. "_Where - is - my - story_?"

"Oh, yeah." He grinned, and pulled the pile of papers which he had secured together with string out into the open.

Hesitantly, Lucy reached her arm out and snached the papers from his grasp, pulling the string undone and checking that it was infact her story she was holding, and not some scheme to get him back in her good books. When she was satisfied, she dismissed him.

"What?" He snapped, refusing to leave. "I search all over Magnolia for your _stupid_ story, and all you do is dismiss me like your servant? Who do you think I am?"

Lucy stood her ground, unmoved by his harsh words. "Well, you're the one who took it, so-"

"_I DIDN'T FUCKING TAKE IT_!" He yelled, running his hands through his hair angrily.

"_What_?" She whispered, so quietly that even Natsu could barely hear her.

"How many times do I need to tell you that I didn't take it?" He demanded. "Yes, I want to read your story, but I'm no thief! I wouldn't take it whether I was your best friend, your boyfriend or even some stranger, okay?"

Lucy took a breath and looked up again to glare at him, "Then who did?"

"Take a wild guess."  
>"Gray?"<p>

Natsu shook his head.

"Erza?"  
>Another shake.<p>

"_Mira?_"

Natsu didn't even bother responding.

"_Happy_!" Lucy realised, and she began to grind her teeth. "I swear, when I get my hands on that little cat, I'm gonna-"

"Don't I get a thanks?"

Lucy didn't hesitate before she made her way over to her boyfriend, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his bare chest. "I'm sorry," She said, her eyes closed. "I just- _ugh_. Thanks for finding it."

Natsu smiled, and stepped out of her embrace, lifting her head upwards to look at him and kissing her. When they broke apart, he planted a kiss on her forehead.

"I gotta go," He said, opening her apartment door for a rather welcome change.

"You're not staying?"

"I've got some cats to yell at," He smirked, and slid out of the door.

When he was gone, Lucy didn't bother writing for a change, instead she just slipped into bed, fully clothed, and closed her eyes.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Hey guys! Sorry about everyone's OOCness in this chapter... I just couldn't help myself I guess. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and I'm already planning the next chapter of fluff (Or should I say, angst and fluff, I don't even know)<em>**


	3. Night Demons

_**Night Demons**_

Lucy tossed and turned in her sleep, her soft quilt long discarded to the ground in the midst of her midnight struggles. Her breaths came out jagged, as if forced, and her head whipped from side to side, searching for something she couldn't see. Finally, the blonde bolted upright, doused in a cold sweat as her bed sheet clung to her bare, damp legs. She began to pat at her body with shaking hands.

"I-I'm okay. You're okay, Luce," She stuttered as she finished her search and let her hands fall weakly to her sides.

She picked her quilt up form the floor and smoothed it out over her, laying her back to the mattress once more in many feeble attempts at sleep. Finally, she snapped her watering eyes back open, and forced herself up out of her bed and began to change out of her pajamas - which she noticed was made up of one of Natsu's many forgotten cotton t-shirts and a pair of cotton shorts that barely covered her underwear - into something warmer, and more suitable for the 'great' outdoors, which would soon be Magnolia's cobblestone streets. When she deemed herself fit after brushing her hair and choosing to leave it hanging just past her shoulders, she vacated her flat, locking the door behind her as she found herself on the stones outside. She then turned and began to make her way to the other side of the city, past the cathedral and Fairy Tail, to her boyfriend's home, where she hoped she would be able to find the pink haired Dragon Slayer and find some comfort in retelling her nightmares to him, which she had done countless times before.

When Lucy became aware of her surroundings after walking across town, she found herself on the threshold of his house. With an almost timid knock, she tapped her fist against the wooden door and waited for a response, since she knew that he would hear her - in fact, she probably didn't need to knock, he would just be able to s_mell _her there, as crazy as it sounded. When no-one came to answer, she frowned, mostly in confusion, and let her hand rest on the wood with more force, stumbling as the door swung inward without a sound or prior warning. The Stellar Mage blushed at her intrusion, and smoothed out her skirt, scanning the dark room as she did so.

Suddenly, a harsh sound filled her ears as Natsu's hammock swung violently as it's owner writhed in his sleep, just like Lucy had been not two hours before hand. Instantly, the blonde rushed over to where she assumed the material was, hindered and unsure by the darkness, and when she was satisfied with where she was, she reached her arm out, only to snap it back when _her - _something she thought she would never get used to thinking - Dragon Slayer began to yell.

"Natsu?" She whispered as he rotated once more and she caught a glimpse of his tear stained face before it was covered again by his pink locks. "Natsu!"

This time, she forced herself to reach out to her boyfriend as he began to scream again, ignoring the sound of a pair of wings and loud sniffles, which undoubtedly meant that Happy was right behind her. Through his screams, she caught the phrase he kept on repeating.

_Where are you?_

Those three words broke her heart as he repeated them over and over, his voice straining through his screams. Her hands found his shoulders and she began to shake him, attempting to rip him from whatever was terrorizing him in his slumber, but her actions where met with his fist coming up and slamming into her own shoulder, tearing her off of him with a cry of pain, and sending her landing onto the wooden floor with a loud bump. She ignored the pain when she heard Happy whimpering behind her.

"Lucy?" The blue exceed said, his eyes swimming as he lunged forward and buried himself into her stomach.

As if acting on reflex, her arms surrounded the cat and she leant her head down, murmuring small little words of comfort.

"Shh, it's okay Happy. I'll wake him up and he'll stop shouting, okay? Shh."

When she found it okay to pull away from the hug, Happy grabbed her hand with his paw and looked up at her as she began to stand. His eyes still shed tears as he spoke.

"Are you hurt?"

Lucy faked a smile and told him she was fine, although her shoulder was in agony from the Dragon Slayer's punch. She pried the Exceed's paw away and turned back to where Natsu was still tossing around, his voice finally quiet from his screams, and despite the situation, Lucy wondered how he was still _in _the hammock. Gritting her teeth, the Mage placed her hands on either side of his face and held him steady, her words pleading.

"Natsu, please wake up. You're scaring Happy half to death. Wake up!"

Suddenly, his teary eyes snapped open, and as soon as he saw who was before him, Natsu snaked his fists up to his eyes and wiped away the liquid that leaked from them, not wanting her to see him cry, although he just _knew _that she had seen him. Then he sat himself up, not meeting her eyes or his 'son's'.

"I'm sorry, Happy, are you- are you okay?" He said, twisting his head away from the cat's sad gaze.

With a sniffle and a paw dragged across his nose, the Exceed looked at Lucy, who was unknowingly clutching where Natsu had hit her, and looked back at his 'father'. "You hurt Lucy!"

The pinkett's eyes widened, and he turned his gaze to his girlfriend, who stood with her head bent. "I what?"

"You hit her when she was trying to wake you up!" He cried, also looking at Lucy now.

If it was possible, Natsu's eyes stretched wider as he jumped from him makeshift bed and walked over to his girlfriend, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. When he reached her in two short strides, he grabbed her hand and she looked up at him, an almost sorry smile playing on her lips.

"Lucy, did I really hit you?"

"You were asleep, so don't worry about it, okay?" She smiled, cocking her head to the side.

"But I hit you."  
>"It's fine Natsu, really, it doesn't even hurt much-"<br>"Where did I hit you?"

Slowly, Lucy removed her hand from her shoulder, grimacing not from the pain, but from the expression the Fire Mage made when he caught sight of the healthy sized bruise that had formed on her skin from his touch. He ghosted his fingers over the sensitive skin before looking back up and meeting her brown eyes.

"I'm sorry."  
>"I know you are. And you didn't have to say it. It wasn't your fault."<p>

"But I hurt you?"  
>"And you think you've never done that before? Natsu, I'm used to your sleeping habits."<p>

In the long silence that followed, Happy had already excused himself and had gotten back into his bed and to sleep, leaving the pair that had somehow made their way to the center of the house alone. With another glance to her bruise, Natsu suddenly realized.

"Uh, Luce-"

"Yeah?"  
>"Why are you here?"<p>

Suddenly, a blush forced it's way onto Lucy's face and spread rapidly, moving down to cover her neck in a matter of seconds as she began to stutter a reply. "I, uh, I just-. God, it sounds so stupid now but-"

"Well, spit it out."

"Well, you see, I had a nightmare and I couldn't sleep so I decided to come here?"

"So you... decided to come to my house... in the middle of the night... because you couldn't sleep?"  
>"When you put it that way..."<p>

"Why didn't you say so earlier!" He beamed, a slight pink dusting his cheeks as he laughed.

* * *

><p>Lucy finally pulled out of Natsu's hug as she finished retelling him her nightmare. As silly as it seemed, it really did feel like a weight had been lifted off her chest every time he listened to her, which he was actually very good at surprisingly. He raised a pink eyebrow at her, deep in thought as he contemplated everything she just said.<p>

"So you're saying," He said finally, his hands finding his chin as he leant forward. "That you're scared of dragons?"

This made the blonde cringe. "No. I never said dragon. It was more-"

"Luce," The Fire Mage interrupted her, smiling. "It's fine. Dragons are pretty scary, believe me I've-"

"You've met one, I know, I _know,"_She laughed, the tension relieved from her chest once more.

"Yeah, well, it's natural to fear them, but... you've never really been like that before."  
>"It's probably from the book I was reading before I fell asleep," She mused her thoughts aloud. "The heroine is sent to defeat a dragon, but in the end, it overpowers her, and uses one of his claws to slit her throat."<p>

This made Natsu reel backwards slightly. "That is a bit gross."

Suddenly, something clicked in Lucy's mind. "Natsu, you always seem to listen to me when I have a nightmare, so know-"

"No."

"What?"

"I said no. I'm sorry Luce, it's just-"  
>"Natsu please, I might be able to help, I mean, you always make me feel better, so now it's my turn, right?"<br>"Lucy," He breathed, sliding his eyes shut. "I don't really wanna tell ya. I know it sounds weird, but you're helping me by being here right now. Honestly."

Something inside of the Stellar Mage snapped at his words. "You were s_creaming _Natsu - Happy was in tears. There is nothing I can do to help you just sitting here. So please, you say you trust me, so why can't you tell me?"

Silence.

"Well?"

"Fine," He sighed, looking away from her and to where Happy was sleeping away. "I saw everyone I cared about in my life disappear."

"You saw everybody die?"

"No, not die. You all just... faded away. It started with Igneel first, I had to watch him leave me in my sleep again, then the old man faded before me, and I forgot about him suddenly. Then it was Gildarts, then Lisanna, then Erza and Cana. Then Levy, Jet and Droy. Then it was Gray. I kept on forgetting about them. Then, whoever was left at the Guild just... vanished, even Gajeel and Laxus. All I heard was Wendy screaming for me to help her, but when I tried, it was like she never existed." He then turned his head back and looked at Lucy, who was staring at him in shock, her eyes shining. "Is this making any sense to you?"

The Key user nodded slightly. "Is that all?"

"Not even slightly. Next thing it was you. You didn't disappear at first, God no. Instead, you were lingering at the edge of my sight the entire time. I could hear you shouting for me, and I could feel you grabbing onto my hand, but when I tried to touch you, you moved again. Then I started to forget about you. First I forgot your name, which made everything worse. I knew you were important to me, but I didn't know who you were, and why you meant something to me, Then I started forgetting what you looked like - I could remember everything we'd done together, but instead of seeing you, I just saw an empty space, or a blurred out version of you. Then I just forgot everything about your entire existence, and for some reason that I didn't know, I started crying. Then you woke me up."

When he had finished his tale, Lucy hadn't realized she was crying, her hands clamped over her mouth to silence her quiet whimpers. Suddenly, she lurched forward and wrapped her arms around Natsu, who had turned his gaze from her and was staring into space.

"I'm here now," She whispered, her voice wobbling. "I'll always be here."

"I know that," He said quietly, his voice not yet a whisper. "But I'm still scared that everyone's gonna leave me alone in the world."

"But you know they wont - you know I won't leave you alone."

"And you know that I wouldn't ever let a dragon hurt you, so I think we're even." He laughed, finally returning the hug, and tightening his grip around his girlfriend and taking in her scent.

"I'll agree on that." She smiled, nuzzling herself into his shoulder.

* * *

><p>When Erza found Natsu's door unlocked the next morning, she instantly began to fret. Sure, she knew the Dragon Slayer could handle himself, but still, it wasn't like him to leave himself vulnerable, which he was in slumber, no matter how much he would argue against the fact. Hesitantly, the redhead pushed the door open and stepped inside, giving the room a once over before her eyes landed on the couple who were fast asleep on the sofa. With eyes wide, she made her way over to the pair, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks - she had never been a fan of two people of the opposite gender sleeping in close proximity before marriage without reason. But when she reached them, all ideas that they had... done anything... unorthodox fled the Requip Mage's mind. Instead, her blush was replaced by a small smile, and a feeling of almost nostalgia at seeing the boy who she had always thought of as a brother finally finding someone to be truly happy with.<p>

The two Mages before her had their arms wrapped around each other in their sleep, as if to protect the other from whatever lurked around them, and the boy - _no, _man, as Erza had to correct herself - had his head resting on the woman's chest, whilst she rested her chin upon his pink hair, both smiling soundly. Erza wished she had some way to capture the moment before her, because, as Natsu had kept memoirs of almost every job he had been on, the redhead had kept tabs of every significant event in her and her nakama's life, including Lucy, no matter how short she had known the Stellar Mage for. As she remembered what she had came here for, the Requip Mage leant forward and began to shake the pair.

"Natsu, Lucy," She smiled, almost reluctant to awaken them. "Wake up-"

"What's taking so long?" A loud, male voice yelled, entering the building also, and stopping in his tracks as he clocked what Erza was looking at, a smile taking shape on the Ice Mage's face. "Oh, I am so gonna find a way to use this a blackmail."

"No you're not." A yawning Dragon Slayer said below them, stretching out his arms and sitting up, causing the blonde beside him to wake up also.

"What's going on?" She smiled at her team, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"We were heading out on a job, but if you two are too busy..."

"No way," The pair yawned in unison before speaking at the same time.

"We're up and ready."

"We're not letting you two have all the fun!"

"Just let me brush my hair first."

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! I don't actually know where I was going with this chapter, but I started out with a nightmare thingy, and it just went from there. I'm still learning how to write the Fairy Tail characters since this is only my third time every writing about them, so I hope it's not <em>too<em> OOC, which seems to be my biggest problem at the moment.**

**Anyway, the fourth chapter should be up ASAP, since I wrote it before this, but anyway: I hoped you enjoyed this chapter!**


	4. Do You Love Him?

**_"If You Ask Me For My Heart, There's No Way That I'd Say No"_**

Natsu stared after Lucy as she waltzed over to the bunch of female Guild members who were assembled at the bar, waving her over, smiles plastered over their faces – Cana's a tad sober for a welcome change. With a groan, he slumped himself down on one of the Guild's booths next to Wendy, who stared at him, worry written all over her petite face. With a quick look over her shoulder, something seemed to click in her mind, and she turned back to the Fire user next to her.

"Have you two had another argument?" She asked him nervously, fiddling with her fingers as she did so.

Natsu lifted his head and looked at her. "Me and Luce? Nah. Just bored."

This seemed to lift the bluenette's spirit, and she smiled. "That's good. I just thought... because you know..."

"It's fine." The other Dragon Slayer laughed, turning his head to smile at the girl who he thought of as his little sister. "But do you have a clue what they're talking about?"

"Who? The other girls? I don't know. My hearing isn't as good as yours yet, so I can't understand them completely. Anyway, I hope you're not listening into their conversation!" She scolded him, her brown eyes stern.

This made the pinkett laugh even harder. "You're like a mother aren't you?"

Wendy blushed. "I just think that-"

"Where's the Ice Princess?" Natsu suddenly interrupted, whipping his head from side to side searching for his rival – or as the rest of the Guild liked to call him, best friend. "I need to kick his ass."

"What did he do now?" The Sky Dragon sighed from next to him, wanting to roll her eyes, but refraining from doing so as to not hurt his feelings.

Suddenly, he shot up from his seat, and started yelling taunts across the room, stopping in the centre of the hall where Gray met him halfway, getting in his face and returning the insults before throwing the first punch, which was quickly returned with an uppercut to his jaw, sending the Ice Mage toppling backwards. Natsu grinned manically as he swung his arm in circles, loosening his joint to throw yet another punch as Gray ran forward, fury igniting his eyes.

"_Ice Make:" _The raven haired male yelled, punching his fist into his other palm. "_Floor!"_

This time, it was Natsu who fell backwards as the floor beneath him was covered in a thin layer of slippery ice, causing the mage who caused it to double over in laughter. The Dragon Slayer pushed himself on to one knee and cupped his hands around his mouth, using his Fire Dragon's roar to toast the man before him. This pattern continued for who-knew-how-long, one knocking the other down, and then being knocked over himself, until Natsu's eyes flicked to the bar at one point, taking in the sight of Lucy – his _girlfriend –_ blushing like crazy as the other girls teased her for some unknown reason, and he began to lose concentration in the fight, instead listening in to the conversation that raged on at the bar.

"_So come on, tell me what's he's like? Tell me: did I dodge the bullet?" Lisanna laughed, poking Lucy in the shoulder to get her to spill what Natsu was like as a boyfriend._

"_I'm not saying anything!" The blonde blushed, turning her head away and closing her eyes, refusing to look at her friends._

"_So what's he like in bed?" Cana winked, leaning over her barrel of alcohol._

"_Cana, that is Lucy's information for herself, and herself only!" Erza stuttered, her eyes wide._

"_So he's shit then?" The drunk mage laughed._

"_No!" Lucy interrupted, then flushed even brighter at her words. "I mean, I don't know! We have done... _that _yet.. and we wont be for a _loooong _while."_

"_I give it a month."_

"_Cana, that is enough!" Erza glared, over her initial, second-hand embarrassment, and defended her friend from further awkwardness. "Though I do have one question: is Natsu more mature around you now that you're in a relationship?"_

"_Not really," The Stellar Mage laughed, the redness slowly fading from her face. "He's about the same, maybe even worse."_

"_Phew," Lisanna breathed, dragging her fingers across her forehead. "It seems I _did _dodge the bullet then. I'm sorta glad I got sucked into the Anima, I mean, the Edo-Natsu really put me off the idea of Natsu completely."_

_This made Lucy giggle. "He was cute though."_

"_Not when Lucy Ashley kept on attacking him."_

"_Fair enough."_

_This time, it was Mira who leant forward, her chin in her hands. "So, here's the million Jewel question: do you love him?"_

_This sparked the curiosity of everyone at the bar, causing Lucy's blush to return._

"_Well, do you?" Mirajane smiled, a sly twinkle in her blue eyes._

"_Yeah, tell us." Lisanna joined in, following her sister's lead._

"_Juvia wishes to know too."_

"_Oh Lucy, please say you do! It'll be like one of my romance novels!" The other bluenette squealed, hugging her arms tightly and rocking herself from side to side._

"_This is a simple question Lucy, there's nothing to be embarrassed about," The Requip Mage smiled, noticing her friend's blush._

"_It's not simple!" She interjected, her face feeling as if it was on fire. "Asking if I love him is a really big thing. Sure, I really, really like him, but love? That's-"_

"_Leave her alone, girls." Bisca smiled, draping her arm around Lucy's shoulders. "She'll admit it when she's ready. Though she does remind me of myself with Alzack."_

"_Not helping! You're married!" The blonde yelled, thrusting her head into her hands._

"_And who's to say you and Natsu wont?"  
>"I'm 18!"<em>

"_C'mon Lucy," Levy smiled, leaning forward. "It's a simple yes or no answer. Do you love Natsu or not?"_

"_If I say no, it'll be like me saying I don't want him, so this isn't fair at all!"_

"_Fine then," Erza smirked, finally enjoying the blonde's embarrassment, knowing very well what was going through her mind. "What would you say if _Natsu _asked you this?"_

"_Well..." She sighed, bringing her head out of her hands. "If he'd asked me for my heart, there's no way that I'd say no..."_

"_So you're saying..." Mira prompted her, her smile stretching across her face._

"_Yes, all right!" Lucy surrendered, her face and neck on fire. "I might be in love with him!"_

Suddenly, hearing this, Natsu blushed violently and froze. Seeing his chance, Gray knocked him back down one final time with a simple blast of ice with no shape, and walked off, muttering about how it was too easy. After he pushed himself up, he made his way over to an empty table near the centre of the Guild, and rested his head in the nest he made of his arms, thinking over what he'd just heard.

_She really, really liked him._

_No, _He corrected himself, smiling to the table as he turned his face down. _She loves me._

Then he heard her start making her way over to where he was sat, each step she took echoing in his enhanced hearing. Finally, he shuffled over and she slid next to him, copying his pose and resting her head in her arms over the table. He felt himself smile again, feeling her next to him, and as if acting on instinct, he unfolded one of his arms and grabbed her hand. With half of his face exposed, he shifted his gaze and her direction, and found her blushing. Slowly, she lifted her eyes, and looked at him, smiling sweetly as she squeezed his hand.

Behind him at the bar, he heard a few gasps and quiet squeals as the girls took in the pair, but he chose to ignore them, choosing for a change to not embarrass her even more.

"Hey Luce," He whispered, his smile growing as he formed his next sentence to her in his head.

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's unbelievably short, but I really had fun writing this. (If you can't guess, this chapter's based off of Oh Darling by Plugin Stereo and Cady Groves)<strong>

**See ya soon :D**


	5. The Weekly Sorcerer

**An Interview With The Weekly Sorcerer**

Lucy felt her pulse quicken with excitement as she noticed the sealed envelope that sat on her doormat as she entered her home. She knew that address, after all, she had been sending fan mail there since she discovered it. After tossing her bags onto her bed, she ducked down and grabbed the letter, gliding her fingernail under the sealed flap and sliding the inked paper out of its confines. When her eyes caught sight of the emblem that sat at the top of the page, the blonde let out a squeal of delight.

"It's the Weekly Sorcerer!" She screeched, bringing the letter close to her chest and alternating her weight between her feet.

Finally, she raked her eyes over the words printed on the page, re-reading the paper multiple times until she let the news sink in.

They wanted to interview her.

_They wanted to interview her!_

Well, they wanted to interview the entirety of Fairy tail's strongest team, Team Natsu, but since Lucy was a founding member of the team, that meant they wanted to interview her as well, didn't it? Well, it must've, since they sent the letter to her address. With another squeal, she reluctantly placed the neatly folded sheet of paper onto her desk and danced into her bathroom, slipping into the silky water once she filled the tub.

As she bathed, the same 7 words repeated themselves in her head: _I'm gonna be interviewed by the Weekly Sorcerer, I'm gonna be interviewed by the Weekly Sorcerer!_

Finally, she climbed out of the lukewarm water, wrapping a fluffy towel around her body before poking her head around the door for any intruders, or to be more specific, Natsu. As she expected, she found him in her home, but instead of him raiding her kitchen, or flicking through her manuscript, she found him reading the letter.

"Hey Luce," He acknowledged her, his eyes still scanning over the page. When he had finished, he raised his gaze ad smiled at her. "So you're finally gonna be in Weekly Sorcerer, huh? Who knows, maybe Mira's got some compet-"

Before he could finish his sentence though, Lucy had barreled into the Dragon Slayer and wrapped her arms around his waist, hopping around and squeaking.

"You're a bit _too_ excited for this."

* * *

><p>"You ready?" Natsu squeezed Lucy's hand, reassuring her as she shook slightly beside him.<p>

"As I'll ever be."

Pulling her hand free, together with Gray, Erza and Happy, the pair walked into the Weekly Sorcerer's head office, where they had arranged with Jason to do their interview. They had been warned that all questions had been sent in by readers, and they would be picked randomly, so they were prepared to answer almost anything, though Lucy and Natsu had agreed on one thing: to keep their relationship hidden from the public eye. They didn't need any future enemies finding that out and using one against the other, which although it might have sounded stupid and insanely paranoid to some, was a sound option that everyone had agreed on.

After signing into the reception, they were lead up many flights of stairs – because Natsu couldn't keep his lunch down on the rising platforms – until they reached the top floor, where the stairs abruptly ended at a short balcony before entering into a fairly large room, which was scarcely furnished, apart from the many white beanbags which sat on the carpeted floor, and painted a blinding, almost clinical, white. The four – five, including Happy – sunk into the bags, and awaited the arrival of the ever enthusiastic Jason, who as they expected came bounding into the quiet room with his signature _coooool._

He too sat himself into a beanbag, and after a few moments of tense silence, set up a recording lacrima and brought out a thick pile of papers from his satchel, which he began to flick through before pulling out a random paper.

"So hey Fairy Tail!" He began, eager to start the questions. "As you know, all questions have been sent in by both readers of the Weekly Sorcerer and your fans. Some questions will be targeted at a certain member, whilst others will be open for anyone to answer, so be ready for anything! Now, here's the first question, which was sent in by..." He scanned the page in his hand. "Melinda. She asks: 'Gray, why are you always stripping? Who are you trying to impress?'"

"I'm not trying to impress anyone," Gray began, scratching at the back of his neck for answers. "And I can't help it really, I've been doing it since I was a kid. It was how I trained."

"_Cool!_ Now, the second question is for Erza, which was sent in by Groff. 'Erza, how many armors do you have in your complete collection?"

Without a second of hesitation, Erza answered, her confidence unswaying. "100."

"_Cooool!_" Jason screamed before picking up the next sheet. "This one is for Natsu and is from Natalia: 'Do you have a girlfriend?'"

After a quick glance out of the corner of his eye to Lucy, who nodded subtly, he shook his head. "No. No I don't. Anyway, why would someone ask that?"

"Question 4;" Jason continued, reading from the next sheet in the pile. "Lyonie asks; 'Natsu, what's your favourite Dragon Slayer spell?'"

"Uh... my favourite? It has to be either Fire Dragon's Roar or-" He began to splutter, doubling over with laughter as Happy caught onto what he was trying to say and joined in the hysterics. "Or the- the Flaming- Lu-cy... kick!"

This earned the Dragon Slayer a punch in the arm. "That's not funny! I was terrified – you set me on fire!"

"Actually, we didn't!" Happy interjected, still giggling away like the child he was. "We set the _doll _on fire."

"Which then set me on fire!"

"But you didn't get burned."

"Shut it you cat."

Erza simply raised an eyebrow at the trios antics before turning back to Jason, who was engrossed, his eyes as wide a dinner plates. "Can we have the next question please?"

"Yep." He jumped, snatching up the next question. "Question five is for the whole team, and was sent in by Joshua. He asks: 'How did the team form, and who formed it?"

"Well..." Erza began, before she shook her head and moved her hand in Lucy's direction. "Lucy hasn't answered a question yet, so she can answer this one, and anyway, she _is_ the best to answer it."

"Um..." Lucy pondered, resting her chin in her hand. "It depends of how you see it, really. There's three possible answers – either my spirit Nikora, Me and Natsu, or Mirajane. You see, Plue – Nikora – gave Natsu the idea of forming a team with me, but obviously me and him had to act upon that, and so the original Team Natsu was born. But Mira was the person who formed the team you see here. Erza had chosen a job and needed both Natsu and Gray to go with her, so Mira told me to tag along since I was new, and the only one who could control Natsu the best – which isn't much if I'm honest – to stop him and Gray fighting 24/7. So yeah..."

Jason nodded and plucked the next question, which Erza answered swiftly. This carried on until the questions had all been answered, but one, which was addressed to Lucy, sent in by a young girl who she remembered was the youngest and newest member of Lamia Scale.

"'Would you risk your life to save the person you hold closest to you?'"

Lucy felt all eyes in the room turn to her, not accusing, but more curious. It seemed like the young girl, Lydia, she thought she remembered her name being, knew what she was asking, and knew what she wanted as an answer. After a long pause, she took a breath and looked around her, not meeting the eyes she so wanted to.

"Yes. In a heartbeat. If I knew h- _this_ person was in danger I would do anything within my power to save them, even if it meant death for me. That's what nakama is, right? You do anything for them, and they do anything for you. This person has done so much for me, and saved my life so many times at the risk of their own, it would only seem right, no – _fair, _for me to die for them if it meant saving them."

Her words were meat by silence as Jason leant forward and discarded the paper, his interest now solely on the blonde in front of him, who shifted in her beanbag, "Lucy, you say this like you mean it. Who exactly is the person you think is the most special to you?"

"Natsu."

As she realized what she had said, the blonde clamped her hands over her mouth, feeling the blush heat up her cheeks, and the anger at herself build up inside of her. _How could she be so stupid? _After keeping it in for the whole interview, she just had to let it slip at the last question, didn't she? She just had to fall at the last hurdle. She tightly squeezed her eyes as she saw Erza and Gray grimace and look away, both cursing under their breath, not at Lucy, but that she had let her guard down. Slowly, her hands threaded themselves into her hair as she lowered her head in shame at her slip up. Then, the blonde felt a strong arm wrap around her waist and a small weight rest on her shoulder, and down her back like a parrot.

_Happy and Natsu._

Natsu pulled her into his side as Happy nuzzled his cheek to her temple in an attempt to comfort her. They both knew that she was blaming herself, and even though she had made it worse with her reaction, they still tried to comfort her nonetheless. Lucy heard Jason ask Erza and Gray to leave, and they did so without complaint, leaving the trio alone with the obsessive reporter.

"Luce, c'mon, it's okay, you didn't mean it like that, did ya?" Natsu said softly, pulling away from his companion and using his thumb to wipe away the lone tear that escaped her eye.

"But I ruined it! I _promised _I wouldn't say anything, and I did!"

"But ya know what?" The Dragon Slayer smiled, forcing her chin upwards and forcing her to look at him. "Who gives a damn if they know? If anyone tries to use you, I won't have to worry because I know you can handle yourself, and you know that I can look after myself too."

"You think so?" She smiled, pushing herself away and allowing Happy to wipe away the few remaining tears that leaked from her eyes from his words.

"I know so, now c'mon, stop crying."

"I'm not crying, I just got something in my eyes."  
>From in front of them, the pair heard loud sniffles, and as they turned around, they saw Jason holding back tears, most likely from his excitement. "That was... so... <em>cuuuuute<em>!"

"Cute now, huh?" Lucy laughed, standing herself up. "What happened to cool?"  
>This jerked the reporter back to his senses, and his eyes brightened, as if he had had an idea. "You know what would be cool? If you guys would agree to do a four page spread on your relationship, 'cos you guys are gonna be the biggest couple in Fiore!"<p>

"Who said we're a couple?"

"No-one needed to! So will you do it?"

"Of course."

* * *

><p>Five days later, back at Fairy Tail, Lucy was met by a loud mixture of chatting, laughter, whistles and <em>aww<em>s as she entered the Guild that morning. Shortly after she entered, Natsu came through the doors behind her, and as soon as the Guild clocked who it was, a single voice could be heard above the noise as the owner held up a magazine.

"Fiore's biggest couple, huh?" Cana jeered, holding the magazine aloft for the pair to see.

Instantly, Lucy's head fell forward into her hands. "He really put that, didn't he?"

"Well, c'mon, lets go read it!" Natsu laughed, dragging Lucy over to the bar by her hand.

As they took to their seats, which Levy and Lisanna had stood up for them to sit down to read the spread, the first thing they noticed was the cover. When they had the interview with Jason, he had prepared and asked them a load of new questions just for them and had done a photo shoot with the pair and Happy, one of which was printed on the glossy front cover, with Lucy perched on Natsu's back, one fist in the air, one around his neck, and Happy flying to the side of her. Below that was _**Plus: An interview with Fairy Tail's strongest team, Team Natsu! **_

Then with a quick smile, Lucy flicked to the promised four page spread and began to read.

_Weekly Sorcerer journalist Jason here with the newest news of Fiore's number one Wizard Guild, Fairy Tail – a new romance! _

_The infamous Salamander has finally found himself a girlfriend, none other than his fellow team mate, and ex heiress, Lucy Heartfilia – not only is she sweet, clever and well mannered, the exact opposite to the destructive force of Fiore's resident Fire Dragon Slayer, she is also ranked number 2 on Fairy Tail's most date-able women as voted by you, only losing top spot to our poster girl, Mirajane Strauss. Will she be able to tame his wild ways, and stop his mass destruction, or will he make the good girl go bad? Well read ahead, as I got an exclusive interview with the new couple._

_**When did you start dating?**_

**_Natsu: _**_Uh..._

**_Lucy: _**_6 months ago next week._

**_Who made the first more?_**

**_Natsu: _**_Lucy. She was the one who kissed me._

**_Lucy: _**_Don't put it like that!_

**_Natsu: _**_Like what?_

**_Lucy: _**_Like I just pounced on you!_

**_Natsu: _**_Well it was kinda sudden..._

**_Lucy: _**_You were supposedly dead for 2 weeks, what else would you have expected?_

**_Natsu: _**_A simple hello?_

**_When did you decide that you liked each other?_**

**_Lucy: _**_Well, I guess I always sorta liked him... just not in the romantic sense. I mean, I always classed him as my best friend, but I never saw him a romantic possibility – because come on, he is just so dense! _

**_Natsu: _**_Hey!_

**_Lucy: _**_The truth hurts. Anyway, I guess it just clicked when I found out he was dead. I had just lost what was the most important thing in my life, the only close family I had left, and I only realised how much I liked him because you only know what you have when it's gone._

**_Me: _**_And you, Natsu?_

**_Natsu: _**_When she kissed me. It was actually kinda nice, so when she pulled away, it hit me that I missed it, and I wanted more._

**_What's your favourite things about each other?_**

**_Lucy: _**_He's protective, sweet, caring and he'll always be there for me when I need him._

**_Natsu: _**_She's Lucy._

**_And your least favourite things?_**

**_Lucy: _**_He's impulsive, and most of the time he acts on his quick decisions, which usually ends up with me being bait. He's always raiding my fridge, and he doesn't know what personal space is._

**_Natsu: _**_She's Lucy._

**_Lucy: _**_Huh?_

**_How did the Guild react when they found out about you two becoming an item?_**

**_Natsu: _**_Well, they were kinda there so..._

**_Lucy: _**_Mira got rich. They had set up a betting pool to see who would make the first move, and apparently Mira was the only person to bet on me. Though when I kissed him, there was a lot of laughter and cheering if that's what you mean._

**_Do you have any plans for the future?_**

**_Lucy: _**_We are 18, for Mavis's sake, why does everyone keep asking us this?_

**_Natsu: _**_Well, what she's tryna say is that no, we don't, but I hope that she doesn't leave me since I really, really like her (maybe love her) and dragons mate for life and all..._

**_Lucy: _**_[Is blushing furiously] You never told me this!_

**_Natsu: _**_Did I need to?_

**_Happy: _**_You lllllllllike each other!_

**_Lucy: _**_Shut it you damn cat!_

_And there you have it folks, a short, yet sweet, interview with Fiore's biggest couple, Fairy Tail's own Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia! Now, I hope you enjoy the photos that we managed to persuade the original Team Natsu to let us take. Also, check out the interview with the full Team Natsu, where we found out the secret relationship between the Dragon Slayer and the Princess – not your usual fairytale, or should I say, Fairy Tail?_

* * *

><p><strong>Oh my shit this is actually terrible.<strong>

**When I wrote this, I was struggling through an extremely writing block, so I'm sorry! I had the idea pop into my head, but whenever I tried to write it, things _worse _than this happened.**

**I'll try and write the next chapter ASAP though :D**


	6. I Wont Let You

**Chapter 6:**

**I Won't Let You**

Water swirled around Lucy, effectively locking her above the ground as it's caster continued to lash out at her team. The electric blue of her hair was falling loose of the bun that sat atop her head as she trapped the other 4 Mages in the Water Lock.

"Stupid kids," She smirked, pushing a lock of fallen hair behind her pointed ear. "Thinking you could even match my strength. How obnoxious."

"This is no strength!" Erza yelled, thrashing from inside her confinement. "This is cowardice, free us and fight!"

The girl held out a pale, slender finger, wagging it side to side mockingly. "Tut tut tut, wait for your turn to speak, Titania. What you Guild Mage's need to learn is a bit of restraint. And you need to reduce your egos and learn that you're not strong enough to win every battle to fight against every opponent you come across." Slowly, she opened her eyelids, a smile playing at her lips. "Do you know the reason _why _there is no water Dragon Slayer? Because there can only be one mass body of water, surrounded by smaller lakes and rivers. There's no room, nor enough magic energy in the world to cover both a Dragon Slayer and a God Slayer, so face the true strength of the only Lost Water Magic user – the Water Godling Mariana!"

She then clapped her hands together in front of her body, her arms outstretched, and everyone but Lucy began to scream and writhe in agony within their water spheres. The blonde's heart rate doubled as she watched her friends, every possible thought running through her head at once.

_What was happening?_

_What was she doing to them?_

_Help them!_

_Do something!_

_You're pathetic, you can't even help them._

"Stop it!" She yelled, her tears mingling with the water around her. "Please, you're hurting them!"

"And what about you, Little Star?" Mariana smirked, her eyes wide and sparkling with sadistic enjoyment. "Are you hurting enough?"

Suddenly, her tears came to an abrupt halt, and Lucy felt Erza's influence flow over her, filling her with extreme anger. "You _coward!"_ She spat, throwing her body around in an attempt to free herself. "You're not God Slayer – you can't even face a pathetic Celestial Wizard like me in battle, instead you have to lock me up. If you think you're so strong, bring me out and fight me!"

"Nah," She smiled, finally turning her gaze to Lucy. "I think I'll leave you in there. I know how to hurt you well enough, and fighting you isn't gonna cut it."

"Coward!"

Mariana's eyes flashed with anger, and with another clap, Lucy heard one voice scream louder than the rest.

"What are you doing to him?" She screamed, recognising Natsu's voice immediately, watching him tense all over from behind the God Slayer. "Stop it!"

"Jackpot."

"Stop it!" Lucy yelled again, her tears flowing once more in frustration. Then she remembered what she had said in the Weekly Sorcerer. "I'll make you a deal!"

A blue eyebrow shot up, interested. "What like?"

"You fight me, and if I win you let them go."

"And what if I win?"

"You can kill me, and spare their lives."

"Lucy-san," Wendy cried from the nearest sphere. "Please don't do this."

"Lucy, do not lay down your life!"

"Lucy, don't be so stupid! You know she's too powerful."

"You can do it Luce."

As the team's voice swirled around them, Mariana stroked her chin, contemplating the offer. "I think I'll pass."

"No!" Lucy growled, "You won't!"

Around her, Lucy felt the water solidify for a millisecond before shattering and falling to the earth, the blonde landing on one knee as she fell with it. Without a second to spare, she activated her whip and ran forward, enjoying the furious, yet confused, look on Mariana's face. With a quick flick of her wrist, _fleuve d'étoiles _wrapped itself around the God Slayer's ankle and pulled her off balance, giving Lucy the advantage at she barrelled into her with her shoulder, knocking her to the ground.

With a battle cry, she flicked her wrist once more and rolled forward away from her opponent, tightening the whip around her wrist and spinning upright, pulling the bluenette around her, and lengthening the whip as it coiled around her body. Her arms pinned to her body, Mariana growled with annoyance, and puffed out her cheeks.

"Water Godling's..." She yelled, reeling backwards and preparing herself to howl. "Howl!"

As the deadly whirlpool came hurtling towards her, Lucy one handedly cartwheeled out of range – using the skill Erza had taught her in one of their many training exercises - and pulled on her whip once more, watching with malice as it sliced through it's captive's clothes and against her skin, leaving her with many long, yet shallow cuts along her body. Finally free, the bluenette punched outwards, powerful jets of water springing from her knuckles and heading towards the Stellar Mage. With gritted teeth, she began to hit the beams away with her whip, but quickly they overpowered her, and instead, she chose to cross her arms defensively over her face and head, allowing herself to be knocked backwards and downwards.

"Lucy, get up!" Erza yelled in encouragement as she took in her friend losing consciousness on the floor, not caring for her own life, but instead for the blonde's. Then her cries changed to screams as the water sliced against her skin painfully.

"Shut it Titania." The Godling snarled, her hair now fully free of it's bun and swaying knottedly and shredded down her back.

Shakily, Lucy pushed herself up, ignoring the cuts and bruises that covered her body, and the scarce material that was left of her clothing. Right now, she didn't care for her dignity, she had to stop Mariana from beating her and killing her and her friends. Crawling behind her, she readied her whip, and as she flung her arms out once more to torture the four who were trapped, Lucy stuck too, coiling _fleuve d'étoiles _around her enemy's thighs, down to her ankles, and pulling backwards violently with both hands.

As the God Slayer fell forwards, Lucy pushed herself into a tired sprint and covered the distance between them, kicking upwards with her brown boot, and connecting the toe with her nose – much to Lucy's displeasure. She slid _fleuve d'étoiles _into her other boot quickly, deactivating the whip, and began to physically attack the woman before her, digging the heels and toes of her shoes into where ever she could strike.

_This isn't me. _Lucy found herself thinking as she dug her heel into the base of Mariana's neck, knocking the girl in unconsciousness finally.

"You will _never _lay a finger on my friends." She growled, her pulse throbbing painfully in her ears, unable to hear the sound of the water crashing down around her. "I won't let you."

Her breaths came raggedly as she breathed, her eyes fluttering shut with exhaustion. She wasn't one for physical fights, like Natsu and the others, but like Wendy, she knew when she had to leave her magic behind and fight for herself.

As her pain became to much to bear, she fell backwards. A pair of strong arms caught her, and she felt a tickling sensation as someone's hair brushed her ear, whispering something that couldn't be heard through the pulsing in her body.

* * *

><p><em>You were amazing.<em>

_I love you._

Lucy stirred in her infirmary bed, her head pounding. Even though she hadn't opened her eyes, she knew well enough where she was by the harsh crinkling sound of the sheets beneath her, much different to the set she had in her own bed, at her own home. She forced her eyes open, and was blinded for a few moments by the harsh contrast of white against black, but soon her vision returned, and over her, Wendy loomed, her eyes shut as she cast her healing spell.

"Wen...dy?" Lucy croaked, her throat dry.

The young Dragon Slayer jumped, and opened her eyes, a smile stretched over her lips. She held up a finger and turned around, picking up a full glass and turning back to face Lucy.

"Here, drink this, " She smiled, reaching out. "Oh, can you sit up by yourself yet actually? I'm happy to help you if you-"  
>"I can sit up." The blonde whispered, shuffling until she was upright. She gratefully took the glass and gulped down the clear water inside. "How long was I out?"<p>

"Only for a few hours. After you fought... Mariana... we all hurried back. Erza is still collecting the reward. Do you need another drink? The healing spell I used always seems to dry people out..."

"Yeah please." She smiled. "What did you do with her?"

"Who?" Wendy's eyebrows shot up suddenly. "Oh, Mariana? Erza slung her over her shoulder rather ungracefully and marched off to the nearest authorities after she checked you were okay. She was so worried when you fainted."

Lucy groaned. "Oh great, I can't even fight anyone without collapsing afterwards. If that was Natsu or Gray or Erza, or even you, no offense, you guys would've been right back up, but not me."

Wendy frowned, sitting down on the edge of her patients bed as she passed her a fresh glass of water. "Lucy don't talk like that! You did amazing - I wouldn't've been able to do that! And you did it all without your spirits. It's only natural for you to have fainted after taking to many hits."

Lucy gulped down the water. "Are you okay though? I tried to get you out as soon as I could."

Wendy looked down at her arm, which was covered in minor cuts. "These'll heal over any day now. Same with the others. Do you think you can walk now? Natsu's so worried about you. I mean, I couldn't let him in here when I was healing you, he'd only get in the way and distract me."

"You're telling me." She giggled, accepting the bluenette's held as she lowered herself out of the bed.

Together, they made their way through the Guild's corridors until they reached the main hall, where, as soon as the door opened, a crowd gathered, asking questions and throwing amazed compliments in Lucy's direction. Suddenly, a path was cleared through the center, where Natsu barged through his expression angry. He looked Lucy up and down before picking up her arms and walking around her, checking for any major injuries. When he came back to her front, his expression had melted, and he threw himself forward, wrapping his arms around her waist and bringing her into his chest.

"You're okay." He breathed into her ear. "You're really okay."

"That's insulting," She laughed ducking her head into his shoulder before pushing him away. "Did you really think I wouldn't be?"

"Well, after taking so many hits like that..."

"You weirdo."

"Hey!"

Slowly, the crowd trickled away, well aware that they'd have to find the Stellar Mage later if they wanted to ask any questions - right now, she was only there for Natsu, and he wasn't gonna let any of them near her. With a quick thanks to Wendy, who blushed slightly and made her way over to Carla, the pair sat down at the bar, ordering two mugs of hot chocolate - complete with marshmallows and squirty cream - from Mira.

"You know, Luce, you really saved our asses back there." Natsu grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "I've never seen you fight like that before."

"I didn't know I _could_ fight like that," Lucy blushed, looking away quickly before returning her gaze. "But I meant what I said about protecting you - I'm willing to give my all, and risk my life for you. Just like you are for me."

"Hey Luce,"

"What?"

Natsu leant forward and gently pulled Lucy towards him, meeting him in the middle with a kiss, his hands still resting on her heated cheeks. When he pulled away, he grinned his trademark grin, and laughed.

"You were amazing. So thanks, but did you hear what I said back there?"

"N-no." She stuttered.

"I love you."

* * *

><p>As Mira heard those three words come from Natsu's mouth, she gasped, dropping the tray she held in her hands and covering her mouth in shock.<p>

_He just said he loved her!_

When the pair looked at her, their eyes wide with concern, she merely grinned beneath her hands and bent down to pick up the shattered glasses.

What?  
>She was a hopeless romantic.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>So what'dya think?<br>I'm actually quite proud of this chapter if I'm honest. I know it's not too long, but I really wanted to write something with Lucy kicking ass for a change and saving Natsu. Because if I'm honest, there isn't enough of that, and I could imagine her doing something like this, even if she wasn't dating him. **

**Like, she would fight with everything she's got to save her nakama. And I sorta want her to fight without her spirits in chapter 375 with Natsu.**

**See ya next time!**


	7. Masquerade Ball: Part 1

**Chapter 7:**

**The Masquerade: Part 1**

Mira stood atop the bar counter, holding a sheet of paper aloft as she tried to capture the Guild's attention, and failing. Her white eyebrows furrowed as she tapped Erza on the shoulder, asking for her assistance, which the red head gave in a loud yell, which stopped the hall in it's tracks. Mirajane coughed awkwardly.

"Why, thank you, Erza..." She mumbled, running her free hand through her hair. "A bit overkill, but what else did I expect from you? Anyway, now that I've got your attention, I have an important announcement for you all!"

This finally caught the full attention of Fairy Tail.

"As most of you will know, in two weeks time, it'll be Christmas, and to celebrate, Fairy Tail has been invited along with all the other Magical Guild's around Fiore to attend a Masquerade Ball at the Royal Palace, hosted by the Princess herself, on the evening of the 26th. Before you lose interest, I have three other things to say: one, it is mandatory for every Guild member to attend unless sick, two; everybody must bring a gift for a Secret Santa – and that means nothing inappropriate due to our younger members, and three, Fairy Tail will be holding a competition for the best Masquerade. That means, the last person to be identified as themselves will win a prize."

Once again, this sparked the curiosity of the members, causing Mira to smile mischievously.

"I thought that would get your attention. Anyway, here are the rules: one; You can alter your physical appearance with magic, or any non magic items. Two; you can alter your scent and your voice. Three; I'm afraid you're all going to have to stay the same gender, so we know that it is actually our Guild who's playing. Four: You will prepare yourselves at the castle itself, as the Princess will be providing rooms for every Wizard attending. Five: You will have to show your temporary Guild mark that we give to you on the night so we know who's playing, and your permanent mark will disappear in its place. And this one is for our resident Dragon Slayers: To prevent any cheating, I, or the Master, will be casting a spell on you all so that your sense of smell is reduced to the average person's, okay? That's it! Oh, and one final thing, when you're out, your temporary Guild mark will vanish, and any outer changes to your appearance will disappear too, apart from your clothing, obviously."

And with that, the She Demon accepted Lisanna's hand down from the bar and landed gracefully on her feet back the on the ground, leaving the rest of the hall to question what had just been announced.

_A Masquerade Ball?_

Mira was definitely up to something, even if she hadn't arranged the event to begin with.

* * *

><p>"So what have you bought Lucy for Christmas, Natsu?" Lisanna asked the Dragon Slayer, leaning across the bar as she served her friend a glass of <em>something. <em>

Checking that the blonde in question wasn't in the room, Natsu leant forward and placed his head in his hands. "Nothing. I can't think of anything she'd want, and anyway, I don't have to get her a present, right, since we're doing that whole Secret Santa thing?"

This angered the Take Over Mage, who clipped Natsu around the back of the head with the palm of her hand. "Natsu, of course you do! She's your girlfriend! And what do you mean you don't know what to get her? This is _Lucy _we're talking about here, you know her better than any else in this room! Heck, even I know what I'd get her."

Natsu rubbed the back of his head ruefully. "I know, but still... she'll flip if I get her the wrong thing."

"No she won't."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because she loves you. Yeah, she might be a bit insulted if you get the _completely _wrong thing - y'know, like what Cana would probably get her – but if you get her the wrong book, say, she'll still love it."

"What would Cana get Lucy?"

"I am not gonna answer that."

"Why?"

"Because it's Cana, I'm sure you can imagine what she'd get."

"Oh. I see what'cha mean, but still, what do I get her?"

"Is there anything she's said she wants?"

"Apart from the million-book-long list? Nothing that I can remember."

Lisanna stroked her cheek in thought. What could Natsu get that Lucy would find special? Now that was something she didn't know. Then a smile lit up the white-haired girl's face, and the clicked her fingers loudly.

"I know! I'll take you shopping! I'll help you choose out something for her, since I'm a girl, I'll be a bit more help than Gray."

"Who said I'd go shopping with that Ice Princess?"

"That's straying from the point Natsu, but what do you say? I'll take you shopping tomorrow, and we'll get Lucy her present, okay?"

"Yeah!"

"And make sure you bring your own money, I'm not paying for your girlfriend's Christmas present, as much as I like Lucy."

And with a grin, Natsu downed the flaming glass before him and bounded away from the bar to challenge an almost naked Gray, who readily accepted with a mouthful of insults directed at the pinkett.

Lisanna shook her head as she watched her childhood friend. Those three years in Edolas really changed her, but still, she still had to keep Natsu in check.

* * *

><p>"So Mira, what are you planning?" Lisanna questioned her elder sister as they drank two mugs of hot chocolate after-hours.<p>

The other white-haired woman batted her snowy eyelashes innocently. "What do you mean?"

"I mean with this whole Masquerade Ball? I know you arranged the whole competition between the Guild, and I wanna know why."

The elder Take Over Mage giggled, flicking away the stray hairs that fell in her face. "Oh that? That's easy. I believe people are drawn to one another no matter their appearance, so when one forms a bond with someone, then changes completely, they still feel drawn to that person or persons. You know, like that whole, red string of fate thing? I just wanna see how close people are in the Guild, and whether they can find each other."

The younger girl groaned, a smile still on her lips. "So you're saying that you're playing Match-Maker again?"

"What can I say? I'm a self proclaimed hopeless romantic."

"Don't we all know."

* * *

><p>Lucy sat on the floor of her apartment, her legs crossed and her tongue peeking through her lips as she taped the wrapping paper together, covering the large plastic box inside. The blonde had locked all possible entryways to her home – the door and her bedroom window being the first – so that a certain Dragon Slayer couldn't play burglar whilst she wrapped his carefully chosen Christmas present – an almost indestructible sculpture, that even Natsu had no chance of breaking.<p>

Finally, she finished taping the sides of the paper together, and summoned Virgo to take the box and store it somewhere were she could find it in the Spirit World. With Happy's present, she didn't need to do much at all, in fact, she hadn't even bought it yet – all she needed to do was buy a load of fish for the young Exceed and store them in her fridge ready for the 25th. With a content smile, the Mage opened her window and let the cool winter air flow through her stuffy apartment as she fell onto her sofa, picking up her current book from the small table. _Land of Angels, _huh? Lucy didn't remember buying this book, or even starting reading it, but still, she opened to the page the book was marked on and continued reading, automatically engrossed in the words that filled her mind.

When the Stellar Mage finally came back to Earthland – _metaphorically,_ of course – she screamed as she noticed the figure that loomed over her, impulsively kicking upwards in her infamous 'Lucy Kick' to ward off any attacks. Instead, when miraculously, her foot came into contact with her attacker's head, he fell backwards with a loud _hmph _and Lucy could hear him rub his forehead furiously, groaning.

"I have never liked your Lucy Kick." Natsu groaned from behind the sofa, slowly beginning to get back to his feet.

"Natsu, what were you doing?"

"Well I was standing there for a while when you didn't notice me come in. I did try the door, honestly, but it was locked, so I decided to come in through the window – sorry about your sheets, they're a bit muddy – and you didn't even look up."

"How long have you been standing there then?"

Natsu looked up at the clock. "Uh... about an hour? I dunno really, it's funny to watch you read. You make the weirdest expressions-"

Lucy smacked his arm playfully. "I do not!"

"You _so _do. Remember, I've actually seen your face."

The blonde tried to frown, but instead she yawned widely, and looked up at the clock. _It was 11! _Lucy really needed to get some sleep now, or she'd be cranky the next day, and according to her friends, she wasn't that nice when she was cranky. She dragged her hands over her eyes and stood, making her way over to her bed and grabbing a pair of bottoms and whatever shirt she slept in last night – which _just _happened to be Natsu's.

She had really gotten into the habit of sleeping in his shirts.

"I'm gonna go get dressed, so if I find you doing anything that you shouldn't whilst I'm in the bathroom, you're toast, got it?" She reminded the Dragon Slayer as she slipped into her bathroom.

Quickly, she yanked her tank top over her head and replaced it with his orange t-shirt – one that she remembered buying him on a job they took together -, then slid her miniskirt down her legs and exchanged it for her long, floral, cotton pants. Then she scrubbed her face with a small towel and brushed her teeth, like she did every night before bed.

"Natsu?" The blonde growled as she poked her head around the door frame, searching for anything that was misplaced. Instead, she found her Dragon Slayer sitting on her couch, _Land of Angels _bent in his hands as he turned the pages, a frown decorating his face. "What are you doing?"

"This book is terrible. It's too mushy." He then began to read aloud from the book, a look of disgust on his face. "'_Raziel lifted his hand and ran it through his golden locks, his stare intense on Molly as she ran forward, her arms outstretched as if to embrace him.' _Ugh, really? Oh, what's this; '_The angel held her close as she trembled beneath his divine touch, her body fitting perfectly against his, like two matching puzzle pieces. She had missed Raziel so much, it felt like walking on knives and jagged glass every step she took without him in her life. Molly flicked her auburn curls from her face and stood on her toes as she leant up and pressed her lips to his, tasting nothing but memories.' _What is this crap?"

Lucy lunged forward and plucked the book from his hands, blushing. "This _crap _is a book I found today, and decided I liked, so shush. Anyway, I'm going sleep now, so you can... scamper off back to Happy now."

"No need, Happy's off annoying Lisanna for the night. He decided he wanted to prank her and get her back for giving him a bad fish in the Guild this morning. So I'm staying here."

The blonde groaned and placed her book on her shelves, staring at Natsu. "Seriously? I feel sorry for Lisanna. And why can't you stay at your own place?"

The Dragon Slayer flashed his trademark grin. "Because your bed is comfier than mine."

With a scowl, and yet another yawn, Lucy flung herself backwards onto her bed, spreading her arms wide as she stared at the ceiling. "Buy your own bed."

"You don't usually have a problem with sharing, so why now?"

Lucy blushed, and turned down the top of the quilt so that she could slide underneath and tuck it up by her neck. "Touché."

The Stellar Mage waited for the extra weight to sink her bed lower, but nothing came, instead, all she heard was her own breathing, and Natsu disheveling his hair.

"Well can I?"

"Can you what?"

"Can I stay the night with you..."

The blonde chuckled sleepily, and flicked one side of the quilt upwards once more to allow her boyfriend to sleep next to her. "You weirdo. Hurry up before all the heat gets out."

Quickly, Natsu bounded over to her and nestled in under the quilts, but not before leaning over and sliding her window down, stopping the steady flow of cold air from entering the room. He then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, enjoying her tired squeak of surprise at the action. She then returned the gesture and wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her face into his abnormally warm chest. "Night."

* * *

><p>Lucy woke in the morning in a borderline deathly tight squeeze from behind. When she tried to prize Natsu's hands from around her waist, they only tightened, and she heard a bunch of anger gibberish from behind her.<p>

"Natsu, get off!" She struggled, trying in vain to reach her keys, despite the embarrassing situation that would put her in, asking one of her spirits to free her from her sleeping boyfriend's hold.

"No." He mumbled sleepily, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck.

"Yes. I swear if you don't release me in five seconds, I'll-"

"You'll what?" Lucy could feel the Dragon Slayer's smug smile, and flushed.

Lucy began to panic, growing slightly desperate. "I'll do something!"

"Like what?"

Suddenly, an evil thought burst into the blonde's mind. "I'll tell Erza!"

Lucy didn't think she'd ever seen him move so fast outside of battle. One minute, his face was buried in her neck, his arms a prison around her torso, the next, he was halfway across the room, his face like a cowardly puppy's as he ran his hands through his hair as if to smooth it out.

With a smile, the blonde climbed out of bed and as she passed him, she planted a kiss on Natsu's cheek, dancing into her bathroom merrily. She knew that one would work. After freshening up, she stepped into her living room once more and began to prepare a bowl of cereal for her, and a random assortment of food for her ever-hungry boyfriend. When she came back in, she found him eyeing her shirt, and she looked down, confused.

"What?" She finally asked, setting the food down on her small table.

"I wondered where there shirt went."

Lucy flushed. "Oh, sorry. You left it here a while ago so I thought I'd wash it."

Natsu raised an eyebrow, shoveling a mouthful of food into his mouth. "So washing it ended up with you wearing it to bed for Mavis knows how long?"

"Sorry. If you want it back I'll go change now..."

"Nah, you keep it." The Dragon Slayer swallowed his current mouthful. "It looks good on you."

Suddenly, a loud knock came from Lucy's door, and was quickly followed by a chirpy voice.

"Hey lovebirds, can I come in? I'm here to get Natsu, we're going shopping today!" Lisanna's voice came through the wood, and Lucy rushed forward to open the door as Natsu swore behind her.

"Hey Lisanna, sorry about my appearance, I only just woke up. How did you know Natsu was here?" She garbled, stepping backwards to let the white-haired girl into her apartment, where she giggled at the sight of Natsu purposely avoiding her gaze and cramming even more food into his mouth.

"Eh, it's fine. Nice choice of shirt." She winked, noticing the shirt that she remembered Natsu being so insulted about back in the Guild. "I knew he'd be here since he never leaves."

"Oh." Lucy blushed, scratching the back of her neck.

"Do you mind if I steal him for the day, Lucy?"

"Not at all! You two need some bonding time, I feel like _I've _been the one stealing him from _you_!"

The Take Over Mage laughed at the comment and stepped over to Natsu, grabbing him by the ear and yanking him to his feet. "You forgot, didn't you?"

"No..."

She sighed. "For the love of- Natsu, can't you remember _one _thing? You're lucky I stopped by your place first to drop off Happy, and picked up your money. Now let's get going – don't want all the deals to be gone!"

Then the pair were gone, Lisanna dragging Natsu from the blonde's apartment in one quick motion, leaving Lucy to laugh loudly at the duo's antics.

* * *

><p>When they were far away from Lucy's apartment, Lisanna turned back to face Natsu. "So you had any ideas on what to get her yet?"<p>

"Not really. I was hoping you would help me..."

"You're a lost cause, Natsu, you really are."

With an irritated sigh, they walked on again, Lisanna pointing out any shops she thought would hold Lucy's perfect Christmas present, all of which Natsu would shrug his shoulders at. Finally, they came across a jewelers, where a simple pair of silver and red jeweled earrings sat on display in the window. Natsu pulled on Lisanna's arm and dragged her into the store, telling her to wait as he bought the earrings, which came with a matching pendant necklace and bracelet – which the shop assistant said would wind itself around the wearer's arm to the perfect size.

When Natsu came back out, Lisanna peeking into the bag, she smiled and punched him in the arm.

"You did good Natsu, but let me look after them, please? I don't trust you to look after them for two more weeks without breaking them."

Natsu furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance, but he still accepted her offer, and they parted ways, the Dragon Slayer heading back to him home, where Happy would be undoubtedly waiting for fish, and Lisanna heading back to her Fairy Hills dormitory.

* * *

><p><strong>Two weeks later:<strong>

Lucy paced around her apartment, wringing her hands. When should she leave for the train? Should she repack her bags now? Should she brush her hair again? Should she get Natsu's present?

Yes.

With a quick flick of her wrist, she summoned Virgo and told her to collect his gift. The spirit disappeared and returned not a moment later with the blonde's specially wrapped box cradled in her arms carefully. Lucy took the gift from her and placed it on her table, grabbing the compulsory gift from her shelves and sliding it carefully into her side satchel. With an impatient sigh, the Stellar Mage grabbed the box once more, and threaded her arm through the handle of her suitcase, which held her outfit for the night, any necessities, and her keys. She then kicked her front door open with her boot and headed for the Guild to give Natsu his gift.

When she arrived at the Guild, her palms rubbed raw, she dragged her suitcase to the table where Levy was sat and dropped her satchel onto the wooden top next to her travel bag. She then placed the bigger box down and dug through her satchel, searching for the bluenette's gift – _Land of Angels. _She thought since she had loved the book, Levy would adore it also.

"Merry Christmas Lu-chan!" She laughed, watching her friend dig around, flustered. She then leant into her own satchel and brought out a brown paper wrapped square.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Levy-chan. I've got your present in here somewhere... Ah! Here it is!" The blonde cried, flinging her arm up into the air in success, the book held firmly in her grasp.

The two girls exchanged gifts with smiles, each ripping the paper which held their presents unceremoniously and squealing when they finally caught sight of their books. _The Lost Girl _was the book that Lucy received, and when she read the back to get an idea of what it was about, she grinned widely, already sure she was going to love reading it. Levy too grinned as she took it in title of the book.

"_Land of Angels_, huh? I'm pretty sure I've heard of this before... isn't it about that girl who falls in love with an angel?"

"You got it right! I read a few weeks ago and I loved it, so I thought you'd like it too."

"Well I should do!"

"Hey Levy, do you know where Natsu is? I really wanna give him his present now before we leave for the Royal City."

With yet another smile, the bluenette flicked her thumb over her shoulder, where Gray and Natsu were already throwing insults at each other. Lucy thanked her best friend quickly, picking up the box that sat before her and running off in their direction, her smile still plastered on her face. She _really _wanted the Dragon Slayer to like what she'd bought him, after all, she had spent many days deliberating over whether to get the ornament sculpted or not. After what seemed like an age, the blonde stepped behind the pink haired boy and tapped him on his shoulder using her forehead, refusing to let go of the box in case she dropped it. With a frown, he turned around, but quickly, he smiled again, noticing who it was.

"Hey Luce, can you give me a minute, I'm kinda-"

"Merry Christmas!" She laughed, thrusting the gift forward into his chest. "I hope you like it."

Natsu cocked his head to one side in a birdlike manner. "What is it?"

"You gotta open it you weirdo."

"Oh yeah."

Together, the pair sat down at a booth, leaving Gray to stalk off somewhere else, grumbling under his breath about finding Juvia. When they were alone, Natsu began to tear at the starry patterned paper, raising an eyebrow as his eyes locked on the box inside. He then opened the box and began to dig through the excess of bubble wrap, searching for his promised present. Finally, his fingers scraped across a blunt, jagged edge, and with a curious frown, he pulled out the ornament and placed it down on the tabletop, where for a few moments of anxious silence, he simply stared at it.

Lucy held her breath as she watched the Dragon Slayer take in her gift. It wasn't the most simple of gifts, she had to admit – she had it commissioned to be so. The base of the sculpture was a simple earthy red, red and brown slab of granite – enchanted to be lightweight – with 12 extruding pedestals, which were topped with red decorative lacrima. Then atop the base stood a excellently molded lacrima dragon, it's head raised mid roar, it's ivory teeth bared. Every scale of the dragon could be seen clearly, and every scale reflected the light in the room.

When she couldn't take the silence any more, Lucy leant forward and tapped Natsu on the shoulder. "So... what do you think?"

"Luce, how did you find this?"

"I got it specially made at the beginning of this year, but it was only finished this month."

The pinkett raised his head to look at her. "It's amazing. Thanks."

"Oh, there's one last thing that you need to do to it. I need you to set it on fire."

He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Set the pedestals on fire one at a time, just trust me on this one."

"If you say so."

With a cautious approach, Natsu summoned a single flame to his index finger and began to set the 12 pedestals alight, one at a time, as one might set candles on fire. When they all held a small flame, a magic circle began to glow underneath the dragon's clawed feet, and Lucy pulled a small sheet of paper from the bottom of the box.

"_Potens est draco in spiritum._" She hissed, her eyes glued to the carving before her.

Then the magic circle disappeared in a flash of fire, and the dragon began to move, circling it's head and raising itself onto it's hind legs. A small plume of fire danced from it's mouth, and Natsu began to laugh.

"That- that's amazing Luce! Seriously, where did you buy this?"

"I told you – I ordered it months ago. When we were on a job, I saw an magic artist who specialised in bringing sculptures alive, so I asked him if he could do this for you."

Suddenly, Natsu banged his fist on the wood. "I almost forgot!"

He then leant downwards and began rifling through his travel bag, which Lucy could see was packed full of things wrapped in paper, until he brought out a multicoloured, smooth paper bag, which was taped together at the top to prevent anyone for seeing the contents. With a flourish, he presented the bag to the blonde across from him, and watched eagerly as she gently pulled the sellotape free, with an almost wary expression on her face.

When she had finally pried the bag open, and had freed the three boxes inside, Lucy stifled a gasp as she took in the treasures within the small boxes. The set of matching jewellery that sat before was completely and utterly beautiful – and unexpected. This wasn't something she expected from Natsu.

The silver flashed against the velvet cushions, the deep red jewels giving off their own artificial light. It was magic jewellery, made specifically for the protection of wizards. Lucy recognized the shapes from Sorcerer Weekly - the droplet studs protecting the wearer from any minor possession attacks, the tear drop pendant to detect any nearby sources of magic, both natural and artificial, and the rope of silver, inlaid with yet more coloured magic lacrima, that would coil around the wearer's arm ready to be summoned as a dangerous whip.

"Natsu..." She whispered, slowly pulling the bracelet from it's box and examining it.

"Do you like it? I wasn't sure on what to get you, so I thought-"

"I love it!" The blonde cried, throwing herself across the space between them and wrapping her arms around his neck thankfully. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! But how did you afford these? I wanted to get them a while back, but they would've cost about five month's worth of rent."

"I do enough jobs, don't I? Who cares how I managed to buy them."

Lucy pulled back, suspicious. "If I find these are stolen-"

"I am insulted!" Natsu gasped, placing his fist onto his chest. "How can you think so lowly of me?"

"You stole the King's crown?"

"I prefer to think of it as payment for saving the country..."

"It was still taking without consent. And you've got a high sense of your own importance."

Their light-hearted bickering was interrupted when Erza yelled '_quiet' _and Mira coughed awkwardly, sending a heavy sense of deja vu across the hall.

"Thank you Erza. Now, for all of you still here, we're leaving for the Royal City now, so get your stuff together and let's head to the train station."

Lucy quickly closed the boxes on the table, wrapping the coil of silver around it's velvet cushion once more and gently placing them into her suitcase as she jumped from the table and dashed for the doors, meeting up with Levy, Juvia, Wendy and Erza, who almost instantly engaged in idle chatter with one another. In an informal formation, the Guild marched across Magnolia to the train station and seated themselves on the vehicle after depositing their bags. The blonde sat across from her two petite blue haired companions, and next to Natsu, who began to turn purple as the train lurched into motion, earning himself a pitiful glance from Wendy.

With a sigh, Lucy lowered his head into her lap and began to stroke his hair in an attempt to calm his stomach, ignoring the giggles from the two girls across from her. This lasted the entire journey, up until the moment the train stopped in the Royal City's train station, causing Natsu's face to regain it's natural colour, and for him to bounce to his feet and to rush from the infernal device.

After collecting their bags, the foursome trailed after the rest of the Guild to the Palace tiredly, gratefully accepting the assistance the castle servant offered as they entered the premises to their grand guest rooms. Tomorrow evening was the Masquerade Ball, and Lucy was determined to catch up on as much sleep as she could so that she would be ready. So as soon as the door closed behind her, Lucy dumped her bag rather unceremoniously and threw herself down onto the plush covers and nestled herself deep into the nest she created involuntarily, falling asleep a matter of minutes after.

Tomorrow was going to be a day she knew she wasn't going to forget any time soon.

* * *

><p><strong>And here you see a prime example of me writing whatever my brain tells me to.<strong>

**(Which can be terrible)**

**So what do you think?  
>This one-shot is gonna be in two parts - so technically it's a two-shot - so get ready for the next chapter! <strong>

**(By the way, if there's any grammatical errors you can find, please point them out to me - this is only a first draft, so please help a girl out.)**

**And this chapter is just over 5000 words, which I'm really proud about, so yeah...**

***rambling***


	8. Masquerade Ball: Part 2

**Chapter 8:**

**The Masquerade Ball: Part 2:**

"Open, gate of the Maiden, Virgo!"

As soon as the final syllable left Lucy's mouth, the pink haired spirit appeared before her, bowing low with a sweeping gesture of her arms. "Time for punishment, Princess?"

Lucy laughed. "I wish you'd stop asking that. Do you mind fetching my dress from my apartment? I didn't wanna bring it in my suitcase in case it got ruined so I left it at home..."

"As you wish, Princess."

And with that, Virgo disappeared in a faint flash of golden light, leaving the Celestial Wizard to pace around her room – in the _palace _no less_ – _wringing her hands nervously. This was to be her first ball since leaving the Heartfilia Estate, yet it would be so entirely different – no-one would expect her to have the top etiquette for one thing, plus she expected many guests to be knocked-out drunk, a different world entirely to the balls she attended 3 – no, _10_ – years ago. Finally, Virgo appeared once more, pulling Lucy out from her thoughts, holding a thick black sack with a coat hanger poking out from the top.

With a smile, Lucy ran forwards and plucked the sack from her spirit's hands, thanking Virgo quickly and dismissing her so that she could change in privacy – the main reason why she was glad no-one apart from the servants knew where her room was, as requested my the Master and Mirajane.

_Two hours and fifteen minutes to go. _She thought as she began to undress herself, folding her discarded clothes carefully atop her bed.

Standing in her underwear, she hung the bag up and unzipped the side, revealing her dress for the evening that she bought last week especially. Even in the dimming light of the room as evening came in the satin material of the short skirt shimmered, smooth as Lucy reached her fingers out almost timidly to touch the fabric, which shifted and rustled. It had been a while since she'd worn a pretty dress. Finally, she gently pulled the dress from the hanger and slid it over her body, calling on Virgo once more to do up the zip that sat on her lower back, and securing the dress tightly.

Switching on the light in the dark room, Lucy stood in front of the grand mirror that hung from the wall, admiring her reflection. The short dress clung to her body perfectly, the pearly sleeveless bust hugging her ample curves, clenching just below them with a thick sash of perfectly wrinkled silk and puffing out to her lower thigh in tiers of hot pink satin, both transparent and, well, _not_. She rotated her body slightly taking in the dress form all angles, admiring the delicate black lace work on the upper-body and watching as the light caught on the tiny faux diamonds, and scattered themselves around the room.

Finally, she tore herself away from the mirror and began rooting through her suitcase, searching for her new black pair of not-so-high heels and her selected pieces of jewellery; necklaces, bracelets and bangles, rings, earrings. She also dug out her black sequinned, thin strap to sit around her shoulder and down her side, bag which she would store her keys in case she needed them at all during the night. One again standing in front of the mirror, Lucy began choosing between her jewellery, finally deciding on a simple, wraparound silver chain for her neck, a bundle of thin silver and brightly coloured jewelled bangles to clink around on her wrist, 5 simple rings to be stacked in 2s and 1 elaborately decorated ring to sit on her left middle finger. She also decided on a single, flower shaped earring that would curl it's way along from the tip of her ear to the piercing in the lobe.

Another look outside her window and a glance to her clock told Lucy she had only an hour and 7 minutes to prepare for the ball. With a gasp, she summoned Cancer, and briefed him once more on their agreed deal – he would change her hair, in both colour, length and style, and he would mask her natural scent and voice.

With a nod, and his trademark 'ebi', the Crab unsheathed his scissors and began to work his magic – literally. Within a matter of minutes, Lucy's hair was already draining of it's natural blonde to an incredibly dark, midnight blue. When her hair colour had truly shifted, Cancer began to work on her hair style, styling it in tight, frizzy, corkscrew curls which fell to just above her bum, and parting it heavily to the left before pulling back multiple locks from her face and braiding them down her back. Finally, he nodded once more and handed Lucy a single, bright purple pill, which he instructed her to swallow ten minutes before leaving, and a pack of coloured contact lenses.

Then he disappeared, leaving a completely different Lucy alone to try and morph her facial features as Mira had taught her to many months ago.

Finally, Lucy was happy with her changed face – she was utterly unrecognisable. She had puffed out her cheeks slightly, shrunk her eyes, made her nose a bit more blobby – yet, obviously adorable - and gave herself more of a defined Cupid's bow on her upper lip, and thickened her bottom. With all of this, she had also changed her face shape slightly, rounding it off at the chin. The Stellar Mage popped open the contact case and slowly placed them in her eyes, blinking a few times after she inserted them to get them comfortable. When she stared in the mirror after her eyesight unfuzzied itself, she noticed her eyes were golden – not a light brown, but actually _golden._

Lucy looked up at the clock once more. 20 minutes until the ball started, and she had been instructed to get there 10 minutes beforehand to get her temporary Guild mark. She quickly swallowed the purple pill and paced around her room once more, waiting for the ten minutes to pass before flinging herself out of the door, only to have to turn back quickly to pick up her side bag and sling it over her shoulder before heading right back out and allowing the maid to lock the door behind her. She practically _danced _the whole way to where she had been told to meet the rest of the Guild, she was so excited. As she entered the room, and hand shot out and stamped her on her chest, then pushed her into the centre of the rabble that circled in the centre of the room. Looking down at her right hand out the corner of her eye, she noticed her ordinary Guild mark was gone, and so she flicked her gaze to her chest, where a new, blood red mark branded her skin.

Suddenly Lucy felt nervous, the butterflies swarming in her stomach and eating her from the inside out. No-one knew who she was, and that's what she assumed was unnerving her so much, anyone could talk to her and she could share any piece of information. None of the other Guild's attending would recognise her. It would be like being new to Fairy Tail once more, and having to acquaint herself to Wizarding community again.

Then a hand reached out and tapped her arm timidly.

"Uh... hello. I'm nervous too, so don't be too scared, okay?"

Lucy groaned. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Well, you were biting your lip like no tomorrow, so I just assumed..."

"Thank you. Really. It's strangely reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who's scared here. I like your dress."

The girl looked down suddenly, her face flushed. "Why, thanks. C- my friend picked it out for me."

Lucy smiled, knowing finally who she was talking to. "Well you look beautiful."

This caused the girl to blush once more, her face turning beet red before she smiled. "Thank you. So do you."

Slowly, the Stellar Mage leant down and placed her head by the girl's ear. "No problem, Sky Dragon."

Wendy began to stutter, and she stepped backwards, her flame orange locks flying. "What? How did you-"

Then she began to glow, a column of light engulfing her before disappearing once more and revealing her in her normal looks – long blue hair, hopeful brown eyes.

"It seems our first elimination has happened, folks!" Mira called through the crowd, and when Lucy spotted her, the first thing she noticed was the evil glint in her blue eyes.

A loud voice coughed from the doorway, interrupting the loud chatter that came from the room. "If you please, Fairy Tail Guild, the ball has started."

* * *

><p>Lucy spun around on the grand dance floor, holding the hands of a younger Guild member of Mermaid Heel playfully and twirling her around, smiling at her giggles. She didn't know how she ended up partnered with the child, but the other partners spun around in a similar fashion, their faces ones of either joy, or concentration, trying not to step on any feet. The large orchestra sat on their raised, floating platforms, sorted according to instrument, playing an upbeat tune that required everyone to swap partners every new verse.<p>

Suddenly, the tune changed, and with another laugh, Lucy sent the girl spinning away from her, bouncing around until she found herself in the arms of another Mage. Lyon.

"Oh, hey Lyon!" She smiled, enjoying the confused expression on his face as he tried to peg her face.

"Do I know you?" He asked, leaning his head backwards, trying to take her in.

Lucy let go of his hand and flicked her long hair over her shoulder to reveal her temporary Guild mark. "Of course you do. Fairy Tail competition."

"That makes sense now. Well, whoever this is, it was a pleasure to dance with you." The Ice-Mage nodded before letting her go completely and switching to another girl.

The blonde – or, should I say, bluenette – laughed, craning her head up towards the high ceiling. She regained herself before searching for another partner. Finally, she found a tall man standing in the centre of the pairs, obviously uncomfortable, and she ran towards him, grabbing him by the hands before flinging him around her.

"So you're from Fairy Tail?" She said, noticing his mark on the side of his neck.

"Yeah."

"Is that all you're gonna say?"

He nodded.

"Not a man of many words, I see." She muttered, her eyebrows creasing together.

He shook his head. "You too?"

"Huh?"

The blond male removed his hand from her grasp and poked her Guild mark, making her flush, and back away.

"Don't touch me there!" She stuttered, folding her arms over her breasts protectively, mortified.

His eyes widened, and suddenly, a tower of light erupted beside him, leaving a startled Romeo behind in it's wake, clasping onto Wendy's hands, both children blushing like fools.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that!"

Lucy took a deep breath to compose herself. "It's fine. I just overreacted. Just tell a girl next time you're gonna poke her there."

He smiled sheepishly before the melody changed once more, and Lucy caught the eyes of another Mage behind him. Quickly, he walked – or rather stalked - forward, and eyebrow raised as he took her hands.

"I didn't know we had people like that in the Guild." He muttered, glaring in the blonde man's direction.

"So you're in the competition too, huh?" Lucy smiled, the winced as her partners foot stamped on hers. "Ow!"

"Sorry! I'm not much of a dancer."  
>"Then why are you here?"<p>

"Mira."

"Poor you," Lucy seethed, tilting her head. "So do you know how many people are left in the competition."

"Uh... according to Mira..." The man faltered. "About half of us."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Already!"

"Yeah. Wendy was the first out. Then it was Gray – he stripped almost as soon as he got in here. Then Juvia freaked out so we knew it was her."

"I feel awful... I didn't mean to get Wendy out..."

His eyebrows shot up. "_You _got Wendy out?"

"Yeah."

"Nice going. I got Romeo out, I mean, who else would be blushing that much dancing with Wendy?"

"He's going to be mortified..." Lucy mumbled, looking away. "Poor kid. He just wanted to dance with his crush, then suddenly he gets caught in the act. Natsu's not gonna hear the end of this..."

"Natsu?"

Lucy jolted slightly. "Yeah. Romeo practically worships Natsu, right?"

"You gotta point."

Around them, people were shuffling about switching partners for the last verse. "Hey, shouldn't we be-"

"Nah. I'd rather not see any of my Guild mate's being groped by one another in disguise. It makes me sick."

The bluenette blushed lightly. "Oh. Thanks, I guess, but you don't have to if you don't want to..."

"I do want to. You're the most fun I've had all evening. It's no fun talking to people when they don't have a clue who you are."

"But-"

"I know. But you're Fairy Tail, we all know each other even slightly."

Suddenly, he spun her around, and Lucy caught a glimpse of two columns of golden light.

"That's two more out."

"I wonder who-"

"_Gajeel?_"

"_Shrimp!"_

"-And that answers that." She laughed.

"Hah, Gajeel was caught in the act."

"What do you mean?" Lucy cocked her head to one side, quickly swiping her foot backwards to avoid being trodden on.

"Well everyone knows he's got a thing for Levy, right?"

"_Does _he? Well I heard Levy liked him too."

"I have a feeling Mira had this all planned out."

"Mhm."

"She must've set up all the people she heard had crushes on each other." He laughed, then he began to mumble. "But I wonder why she put me in here..."

"Oh, I must be going against her plans then, since I came into the dance by my own accord."

"Met anyone interesting?"

"Not really, heard a few things I didn't want to from Hibiki and Eve, but that's about it."

"Those guys are weird, but they're pretty strong too."

"At least I haven't danced with Ichiya. That would be it for me. He got Erza out when he recognised her '_parfum_'." Lucy raised her fingers in air quotations.

"Can people outside the Guild get us out?"

"Apparently so."

The music began to build up, and the pairs began to dance a bit more _enthusiastically – _or how Lucy like to think it, more dangerously. Her partner now had his head down, watching his feet so he didn't cause any damage. Suddenly his hair flash, and she took a step backwards, gasping.

"_Natsu?_"

Suddenly, he bolted upright, his eyes and posture like deer caught in the headlights before being engulfed in the bright light. When it disappeared he was frowning, ruffling his pink hair. "How did you recognise me?"

Lucy smiled, her golden eyes bright. "Who else has crazy pink hair?"

"But- _dammit!_ Lisanna taught me how to keep the basic Take Over going for ages."

She lunged forward, a sudden familiar impulse forcing her to do so, and wrapped her arms around him. "You're a Dragon Slayer, not a Take Over Mage, so it's not surprising. You're not meant to be able to keep a Take Over going for ages."

"Hey, I know who this is" He laughed into her hair. "It's Luce!" He pushed her away and watching smugly as her disguise vanished in the golden light.

"How did you-"

"Who else would hug me?"

The – now – blonde scowled. "I think we should go before I get trampled on though – everyone's getting a bit too violent here."

Then the music ended on a single note, before changing to a slower, more calm tune, allowing for the tired dancers to exit the dance floor, which included a teasing Wendy, a happy, yet blushing Romeo, a stubborn Levy and a wide eyed Gajeel. Lucy wove her fingers with Natsu's as he dragged her to the refreshment table, where Mira was stood giggling, obviously flirting with the male before her. With a laugh of her own, Lucy disconnected herself from the Dragon Slayer and took one of the stemmed glasses in her hands, sipping delicately as she popped a small chicken bite into her mouth. She ignored Natsu shovelling down whatever food was in front of him, and walked off back into the crowd in search of Levy.

* * *

><p>"Well hello, little miss Lovebird." Lucy laughed, tapping her best friend on her shoulder and enjoying her flushed face.<p>

"Huh? What do you mean? I don't know what you're talking about!" Levy chirped, her hands flapping about, revealing just how flustered she was.

"Oh you _know _what I'm talking about Levy-chan." The blonde giggled, her hand coming up to her lips. "You and a certain _Iron Dragon Slayer..."_

"Gajeel? Nothing happened."  
>"I beg to differ. I saw you two dancing."<p>

"Yeah – well – I saw you dancing with Natsu!"

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "He's my boyfriend, Levy-chan, of 11 months would you believe it?"

"No fair!"

"What, that I'm dating my Dragon Slayer, whilst you're still waiting?"

"Yes! I mean no! What are you talking about?"

Lucy let out a snort, then blushed. "Cat's out the bag. I can't wait 'till he find out."

"You wouldn't." The Solid Script Mage said accusingly.

"_I _wouldn't, but who's to stop Natsu from having a little, '_dragon-to-dragon_' conversation with him?"

"Lu-chan!"

"I'm kidding, but you've seriously gotta up your game a bit Levy. He might fall for someone else because he thinks you're uninterested."

"What's that supposed to mean?"  
>"According to Natsu, he overheard Gajeel saying he's got a thing for you, and I always trust Natsu's ears."<p>

Levy's blush turned crimson, invading her neck and her ears. "Really?"

"Really. Look, he's over there, go speak to him!" Lucy began to push at her friend's covered back.

"No! No, no, no!"

"Why not!"

"Because!"

Suddenly, a dark presence loomed over the pair, and Lucy turned on her heel quickly. "What's going on over here? Why's ya face red, Shrimp?"

"G-Gajeel!"

The Dragon Slayer grunted, his arms crossed uncomfortably across his chest, straining to be free of his tux.

"I, uh..."

Arching his three studs, Gajeel lifted his head and bellowed."OI, SALAMANDER!"

Natsu's voice rang clear over the loud music. "WHAT, YOU GREAT LUMP OF METAL?"

"YOUR MATE IS TEASING SHRIMP HERE."

"GOOD ON HER!"

Lucy blushed violently, earning a nervous snicker from the bluenette. "I'm not his mate!"

"FINE, GIRLFRIEND, IF THAT'S WHATCHA WANNA CALL IT, GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!"

A few moments later, Natsu emerged from the crowd, his hair dishevelled and his shirt creased. "Whaddya want?"

"I told ya, or are you just too deaf to hear me?"

"How could I miss your fog horn?"

Lucy scowled, hissing. "C'mon Natsu, let's go and leave these two _alone."_

"Why, I just got here?"

"_Natsu._"  
>"Oh. Yeah, let's clear out."<p>

As Lucy turned to leave with the pinkett, she caught Levy's brown eyes."Lu-chan!"

She winked. "Sorry Levy, but it had to happen sooner or later."

* * *

><p>"So what was that all about?" Natsu mumbled in between the bodies that surrounded the pair as they made their way to the other side of the hall.<p>

"I had to do a bit of my own matchmaking."

He turned his head, his eyes wide and disbelieving. "Don't tell me you're turning into Mira?"  
>Lucy shuddered. "Mavis, no. I just couldn't stand seeing those two being so... so- <em>dense! <em>I mean, it's obvious that they like each other."  
>"Yeah, even Gajeel noticed."<br>"That's kinda the point. Anyway, where's Happy?"  
>Natsu laughed. "Tryna get Carla to except his fish."<br>"Still?"  
>"Yup. That's where I was a minute ago before that Metalhead yelled. It's actually quite entertaining."<br>"There's another couple in the making then."  
>"Huh?"<br>"Well, Carla's not stupid, or oblivious. Have you seen her face when he offers her fish now-a-days? I think she's starting to get a little crush on him."  
>"You think so? <em>Carla?<em>"  
>"Well she's not like that with Lily, is she?"<br>"Happy's got a girlfriend!"  
>"Not yet."<br>Suddenly, a bright voice filled the pair's ears just as they burst through the crowd into an almost empty space. "Lucy-san, Natsu-san!"  
>"Hey Wendy!" Lucy smiled, detaching herself from her boyfriend and making her way to the youngest dragon slayer, who was stood beside Romeo, smiling.<br>The purple haired mage laughed as Natsu stood beside Lucy, crossing his arms uncomfortably in his gray formal vest. "Natsu-nii, I never thought I'd ever see _you _in fancy clothes."

"Romeo-san!" Wendy scowled, silencing the boy. "Don't be rude. I'm sure Natsu and Lucy will have to wear formal clothes again, and I'm sure you'll be there to see it."  
>Lucy's golden eyes widened as she realised what Wendy was talking about, and she blushed. "Wendy, I am 18, stop it!"<br>"Stop what?" The young dragon slayer asked innocently, her eyes anything but. "You _are _Natsu-san's mate after all."  
>"I never agreed to be called a mate. Anyway, if I'm Natsu's '<em>mate<em>', then what's Romeo to you?"  
>Beside her, Natsu laughed loudly. "Yeah Wendy, ain't you a little young to be out looking for a mate?"<br>The bluenette blushed loudly, as did the fire mage beside her. "He-he's not my mate!"  
>"Yeah, I'm not her boyfriend!"<br>"Give it a matter of time. I'm sure Mira's already planned your wedding."  
>"She's <em>what?<em>"  
>"Just kidding." Lucy laughed, glad to have got her own back on the two young teens. "So have you two had fun tonight?"<br>Wendy took a deep breath, composing herself. "Yeah, I guess I have. I was really nervous at first, but I was sorta glad when that girl got me out before we got here-"

Lucy raised her hand slightly. "Yeah, that was me."  
>"Well, we're even now. It was fun dancing though, and the food's lovely. I just want to know where Carla is, because it isn't the same without her."<br>Natsu pointed somewhere in the grand hall. "She should be somewhere over there if Happy's still trying to flirt with her."  
>Romeo spluttered. "Happy's doing what?"<br>"Yeah, he's got a crush on her. I guess it's sorta natural considering she's the first female Exceed he's ever seen, not to mention she's pretty according to him."  
>"I'm pretty sure Carla likes him too. She had been pretty lonely without any other animals like her before we came to Fairy Tail."<br>Lucy giggled. "I knew it! I just can't wait until she accepts his fish."  
>"That's probably the weirdest thing I've ever heard you say, Luce, and I've heard you say some pretty weird stuff."<br>"Well, it was nice talking to you two, but I'm going to find Carla. Romeo-san-"  
>"I've told you, just call me Romeo!"<br>"Romeo," The bluenette corrected herself. "would you like to come with me."  
>The fire mage grinned. "Sure, why not?"<br>Sheepishly, Wendy grabbed his hand and began pulling him into the crowd in search of her white Exceed. With a grin, Lucy turned back to Natsu. "This is Mira's work."  
>"Obviously."<p>

* * *

><p>"Ladies and gentlemen," A loud voice, amplified by hidden speakers, roared. "It is time to reveal the winner of Fairy Tail's in-Guild competition."<br>A wave a chatter rose in excitement as the announcement ended. Nearly everyone had heard of the Guild's little competition, and they were all curious to see how had actually won. The speaker waved his hand to quieten everyone, and cleared his throat.  
>"As many of you know, the Guild had arranged a small competition between it's wizards to see who could keep the best disguise for the night, and determine who was who beneath said disguises. The prize has been generously provided by Princess Hisui as yet another thank you gift for helping save Fiore, so please may I introduce the Princess herself, Princess Hisui."<p>

Suddenly, the lights when down, and a single beam of light zoned in on the princess, who's green hair was braided around her head, knotted together from either side at the nape of her neck. She wore a regal green ball gown, and her tiara sent of beams of light as she waved to the crowd.

"It is my pleasure to announce that the winner of the Fairy Tail Competition." She grinned, catching Lucy's eye and nodding in a friendly manner. "The winner is..."  
>There was a drumroll.<p>

"Evergreen!"  
>Behind her, Evergreen was enveloped in another pillar of light, and her disguise disappeared, leaving her long brown hair to fall down straight down her back. Another spotlight zoomed in on her, and the fairy mage sent a smug smile in Lucy's direction before mounting the grand staircase to where Hisui was standing. Lucy noticed the princess had her hands behind her back.<p>

"Your prize is..." She said slyly, before whipping her arm out from behind her and slapping the glamorous mage in the face with a whole load of whipped cream.

Lucy started cackling, doubling over as the tears rolled down her face at Evergreen's seriously _pissed _scream. Beside her, Natsu was howling, and a few people away, Lucy could hear Mira giggling whilst muttering 'oh no'.

Evergreen stomped back down the stairs, swatting away Bixlow's dolls as they teased her, and running towards Freed, who simply held his arms to to her and guided her out of the hall, shielding her from any potential photographers.

* * *

><p>Lucy yawned, rubbing her eyes carelessly, smudging her make up. "Mavis, it's late. I'm really tired."<br>Around the pair, the crowd had thinned out mostly, leaving only the last few remaining ball-goers, which included a blushing Gray, who held Juvia gently as she tucked her face into his shoulder, not to mention a rather sweet Wendy who had her head resting on Romeo's shoulder, his head on hers, as they slept on the chairs that were sat on the sides of the room. Cana was sat beside the pair, smiling gently at the small bluenette, and squeezing her shoulder, looking protective.

"If you want, we can go back?" Natsu said from beside Lucy, squeezing her hand gently.

"Yeah, I think I wanna do that." The celestial mage yawned again, and allowed Natsu to lead her out of the hall and down the palace's grand corridors.

Together they wound around the labyrinth of passageways, until finally, Natsu sighed and turned to face Lucy, who he was practically carrying. "All right, I give up. They've masked all the rooms so I can't pinpoint where your scent is. Do you mind...?"  
>"That way." The blonde slurred, pointing tiredly down the west corridor.<p>

Sighing again, Natsu swiped his free arm under Lucy's legs and knocked her down into his arms, carrying her bridle style as her eyes continued fluttering. Slowly, the dragon slayer made his way down the hallway and finally stopped outside her room, where he could catch a faint whiff of her scent. He knocked her door open with a bang of his hip and walked over to her bed, gently laying her atop the covers before pulling them over the sleeping girl.

Lucy heard the dragon slayer leave in silence, clicking the door shut behind him as he left. Suddenly, she felt lonely, but she was too tired to act on the feeling, and instead allowed herself to fall back into her interrupted slumber.

* * *

><p><strong>Well that wasn't a long wait at all, was it? I'm so sorry for taking so long to finish this, I've had exams, and I've just been plain procrastinating, so much so, that I've started another NaLu story, which I really hope you check out (hint hint) But anyway, I've already got the idea for the next chapter sorted out, and I just need to flesh it out, so hold on tight, because it's gon' be a bit more than fluffy.<strong>

**And I hate to say it - but please review. As cliche as it sounds, it really does inspire me to write, and that's why this chapter is up now, because someone urged me to carry on (if indirectly)**


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